Virginia Cavaliers Edge Out Louisville Cardinals
In a thrilling encounter on Sunday, the Virginia Cavaliers managed to edge out the No. 8 Louisville Cardinals with a final score of 74-72, thanks in large part to Romi Levy, who hit a crucial 3-pointer with just 13 seconds left on the clock. Imari Berry had briefly given Louisville a 72-71 lead by converting one of two free throws with only 31.4 seconds remaining.
However, the Cavaliers, holding a record of 19-8 with an 11-5 mark in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), executed their strategy to wind down the clock before Levy found space on the right side of the court to make her second crucial basket in the game’s closing moments, closing the contest with a total of 15 points including three shots from beyond the arc, and securing her team’s fourth victory in the last five games.
Missed Opportunities for Louisville
Despite a missed layup by Reyna Scott with four seconds left, Louisville managed to keep possession of the ball. Berry had a chance to clinch the win with a shot from the right corner as time expired, but her attempt fell short, bringing the Cardinals’ three-game winning streak to an end and deepening their deficit behind first-place Duke in the conference standings.
Louisville, which dropped to 24-5 overall and 14-2 in the ACC, also struggled with the absence of their leading scorer Tajianna Roberts, who sustained a leg injury early in the first quarter, significantly impacting their offensive flow. Elif Istanbulluoglu led the Cardinals in scoring with 20 points, while Berry and Scott contributed 16 points each. However, Louisville’s shooting percentage stood at 46%, hindered by a dismal second quarter performance where they only made three of 18 attempts (17%).
Cavaliers’ Dominance in the Paint
On the other side of the court, the Cavaliers showcased a dominant presence in the paint, outscoring Louisville 36-22 in that area, and maintained an impressive shooting percentage of 50%, which played a crucial role in their victory. Virginia’s Kymora Johnson added 16 points, hitting two late 3-pointers, while Paris Clark contributed 14 points. With this win, Virginia achieved 11 conference victories for the first time since they captured the regular-season title in the 1999-2000 season.
Looking Ahead
As both teams prepare for their upcoming challenges, Virginia will face No. 22 North Carolina on Thursday, while Louisville heads to Georgia Tech on the same night.
