In a thrilling home opener, the No. 17/15 University of Louisville women’s basketball team secured an 81-74 victory over DePaul at the KFC Yum! Center. Olivia Cochran led the way for the Cardinals with a career-high 21 points and five rebounds, shooting an impressive 9 of 14 from the field. Joining her in double figures were Eylia Love with 16 points and Nyla Harris with 13 points and a team-high 11 rebounds.
The game got off to a fast-paced start as DePaul burst out of the gate with a 24-11 lead midway through the first quarter, hitting 10 of their first 12 shots. However, Louisville fought back in the latter half of the period, finishing on an 18-5 run to tie the game at 29 heading into the second quarter.
The second quarter saw a significant slowdown in scoring compared to the explosive first quarter, with both teams combining for just 22 points. Louisville used their momentum from the first quarter to open up an 11-3 run and take a 40-32 lead, extending their overall run to 29-8. DePaul managed to narrow the gap to four points by halftime, with the Cardinals leading 42-38.
Louisville continued to hold onto their lead in the third quarter, going up 52-47 after a fastbreak layup by Merissah Russell. However, DePaul responded with a 6-0 surge to take a one-point lead at 53-52. The Cardinals quickly regained control, ending the period with an 11-5 run and a 63-58 advantage heading into the final frame. Love had a standout performance in the third quarter, contributing seven points and shooting a perfect 4 of 4 from the free-throw line.
Cochran started the fourth quarter strong, scoring seven of the first nine points for Louisville as they extended their lead to 72-62. Although DePaul managed to come within eight points at 76-68, they were unable to close the gap any further. The Cardinals sealed the win by making 10 free throws in the final ten minutes.
Next up for the Cardinals is a home matchup against local rival Bellarmine. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET at the KFC Yum! Center and the game will be streamed on the ACC Network Extra.
