University of Louisville
ALABAMA STATE
Louisville Crushes Alabama State, 77-46
December 16, 2004 | Women's Basketball
Dec. 16, 2004
The University of Louisville women's basketball team won their fourth consecutive game by crushing the Alabama State Hornets 77-46 Thursday night in Freedom Hall. The Cardinals were led by sophomore forward Jazz Covington's 17 points and 6 rebounds. Junior Connie Neal scored a season-high 14 points and pulled down five rebounds.
Louisville (6-3) opened the game with a 7-0 run and would go on to score 11 of the games first 13 points.
The Cardinals also opened up with tremendous defensive pressure, which forced the Hornets into three turnovers in their first four possessions of the game. Alabama State (2-4) also missed seven of their first eight shots of the game.
Timely three-point shooting helped Alabama State narrow the Cardinals' early lead.
However, the Cardinals would continue to battle and would extend their lead to 27-16 at the 7:18 mark. Aided by 48.1 percent field goal shooting and a 22-6 first half run, the Cardinals lead would balloon to a 19 point lead with 3:42 remaining in the first half.
On the strength of outstanding play by Neal, the Cardinals would lead 40-23 at the break. Neal was 5 of 6 from the field in the first half, including 4 of 5 from behind the three-point arc. The Cardinals defense held Alabama State to just 25.8 percent field goal shooting in the first half.
Sophomore Missy Taylor opened the second half by scoring the Cardinals' first two baskets of the half to give Louisville its largest lead of the game to that point (45-25). The Lady Hornets continued its cold-shooting to open up the second half, missing four of their first five shots of the half.
Louisville's strong effort was aided by superior bench play. They would outscore their counterparts 32-12. The Cardinals' bench was led by Neal's 14 points.
The Cardinals would continue to play great defense holding the Hornets to 25 percent field goal shooting. A three- point basket by Nina Simotes gave Louisville a 64-38 lead with 7:41 remaining in the game. From that point, the game was never in doubt as the Cardinals lead would grow to as many as 34 points.
Louisville shot the ball very well, finishing the game shooting 50.9 percent from the field and outrebounded the Lady Hornets 45-34, and had 20 assists while holding the Hornets to just nine for the game.
Louisville will return to action Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. in Freedom Hall against Murray State.
