In a thrilling come-from-behind victory, the No. 20/15 Louisville women’s basketball team defeated Liberty 72-63 at the Merrell Center in the Betty Chancellor Classic. After trailing by six points heading into the fourth quarter, the Cardinals unleashed a dominant 16-1 run to take the lead and secure the win.
Senior Olivia Cochran, who had struggled with foul trouble in the previous game, had a standout performance against Liberty. She tied her career high with 21 points and recorded her 10th career double-double with 11 rebounds. Kiki Jefferson also had an impressive game, scoring a season-best 20 points and going a perfect 8-for-8 from the free-throw line. Nina Rickards contributed 12 points, eight rebounds, and three assists.
The Cardinals faced a tough challenge in the first quarter as Liberty shot an impressive 60% from the field, resulting in a 17-10 lead for the Flames. However, Louisville fought back in the second quarter, going on a 12-0 run after a timeout to regain the lead. The teams went into halftime tied at 32 after the Cardinals shot 50% from the floor in the second quarter.
Cochran was a force in the first half, nearly achieving a double-double with nine points and six rebounds. Sydney Taylor made two three-pointers, while Jefferson and Hennie van Schaik each contributed one three-pointer.
Though the Cardinals struggled with their shooting in the third quarter, they managed to stay within reach of Liberty, trailing by just six points heading into the final quarter. They then exploded with energy in the fourth quarter, scoring eight of the first nine points to regain the lead. A steal from Rickards in the backcourt resulted in a go-ahead jumper from Jefferson, giving the Cards the momentum they needed. This marked the beginning of a nearly seven-minute stretch in which Louisville went on a game-changing 16-1 run, leading to their largest advantage of the game.
In a dominant fourth quarter, the Cardinals outscored Liberty 26-11, and they sealed the victory by making their free throws down the stretch. In the final quarter, they shot an impressive 92.3% from the free-throw line, and overall in the second half, they maintained a solid 90.5% free-throw shooting percentage.
The Cardinals will conclude the Betty Chancellor Classic with their third game of the tournament on Sunday against Gonzaga. The matchup between the Cardinals and Bulldogs is set to start at 1:45 p.m. ET and will be streamed on ESPN+.
