Louisville women’s basketball finished the week winning 2 out of 3 and defeating Notre Dame, 71-65.
As a below .500 team, one would assume Louisville women’s basketball could handle Notre Dame easily. However, as the No. 1 team in the country, the Cards are getting everyone’s best shot, including the Irish.
The Cards couldn’t pull away. Their biggest lead of the game was only 11 points, and they had to stave off a few ND runs. It was a rough offensive game for a Louisville women’s basketball that who only shot 39.7% from the field and 34.6% from three-point range.
Here are three key takeaways from the victory.
Elizabeth Balogun and Olivia Cochran were difference-makers
Elizabeth Balogun was practicing with the Nigerian National Team last week and missed the game at Boston College. Olivia Cochran was nursing an injured knee, which caused her to miss the game as well.
Thankfully, it was only a one-game setback for the duo who returned for the Notre Dame. Both came off the bench but had their moments to impact the game.
Balogun was the Cardinals’ third-leading scorer with 12 points. She scored the 12 on 5-10 shooting from the field and 1-4 from three-point range.
Cochran didn’t have her usual offensive game as she only scored 2 points on 1-5 shooting. She did, however, do what she has done most of the season and led the team in rebounds with 11.
Who do you get the ball to at the end of the game?
Spoiler Alert: The correct answer is Dana Evans.
Evans scored 22 in the first three quarters but slowed down in the fourth. She only recorded 2 assists in the first 9:02 of the fourth quarter, and was 0-3 from the field.
After Notre Dame cut the game to one point, the superstar came out in Evans. With ice in her veins, she buried a three to put the Cards up by 4 with 58 seconds left in the game.
After a stop by the Cards, Evans buried two free throws to put UofL up 6 and ice the game.
Evans showed at the end of this game that no matter how cold you are the hard work pays off and the superstar can always overcome anything.
Hot: Projecting the Louisville offensive depth chart
Louisville women’s basketball struggling to close games
This has been a theme for the last few weeks. The Cards either have to come from behind to win or get their lead wittled away and have to find a way to hold on for the win. This game was no different.
At the start of the fourth quarter, Kianna Smith nailed a three to put the Cards up 11. Notre Dame cut it to 7 before Smith hit another three to go back up 10. That’s where things got rocky.
However, Notre Dame went on an 11-2 run to cut the lead to 1 point. Evans closed the game out, but things never should have gotten that close. There is something about Louisville’s fourth-quarter defense that needs to be adjusted.
The offense hasn’t been as efficient in the fourth quarter either. Teams are coming back and making games too interesting. This is going to be something to watch down the stretch and into the NCAA tournament.
It may have been a little sloppy and a lot closer than Cards fans wanted, but at least it’s a wiin.
Louisville women’s basketball really needs to get back to getting more production from everyone. Aside from Evans, Cochran, and Balogun, the next highest scorer was Mykasa Robinson with 5 points.
Louisville is off for four days so hopefully they can get the offense and the late game defense back to the level from earlier in the season.
Next, can catch the Cards at home again on Thursday the 11th at 7 p.m. The game can be seen on ACCNX and listened to in Louisville on 790 WKRD.
