Strong Fourth Quarter Leads Cards Past Liberty, 72-63

Saturday, November 25

Katy, Texas (Merrell Center)

12 PM

University of Louisville

5-1,0-0ACC

Liberty

2-4,0-0CUSA

Liberty

Louisville

November 25, 2023 | Women's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Postgame Notes

Louisville outscored Liberty 26-11 in the final quarter

By: Matt Paras

KATY, Texas — The No. 20/15 Louisville women's basketball team (5-1) used a big fourth quarter to come from behind and defeat Liberty (2-4), 72-63, Saturday afternoon at the Merrell Center in the Betty Chancellor Classic. Facing a six-point deficit going into the fourth, the Cards opened the final frame on a 16-1 run to take the lead and they never looked back.

Coming off a game she struggled with foul trouble, senior Olivia Cochran had one of the best games of her career against Liberty. She tied a career high with 21 points and hauled in 11 rebounds for her 10th career double-double. Kiki Jefferson put together her best game in a Cardinal uniform with a season-best 20 points and was 8-for-8 from the free throw line. Nina Rickards scored in double figures for the second-straight game with 12 points and she added eight rebounds and three assists.

The Cardinals struggled from the floor in the opening quarter and Liberty took advantage as the Flames hit 60 percent of their shots in the first. The Cardinals trailed the Flames 17-10 after the first 10 minutes of action.

Liberty continued to shoot well in the second quarter and grew the lead to the largest of the game at 10 at the media timeout. The Cardinals fought back and immediately went on a 12-0 run coming out of the timeout to regain the lead for the first time since the opening minutes. The Cardinals and Flames went into halftime tied at 32. The Cardinals ended up shooting 7-for-14 (50 percent) from the floor in the second quarter to tie the game.

Cochran nearly had a double-double in the first half. She went into the half with a team-best nine points and six rebounds. Sydney Taylor knocked down two threes in the first half while Kiki Jefferson and Hennie van Schaik both added a three apiece.

In the third quarter, the Cardinals struggled from the floor again over the first few minutes and Liberty jumped back in front. The Cardinals did not make a basket over the last six minutes of the quarter but were able to get to the line and trailed by just six, 52-46, heading into the final quarter in regulation.

The Cardinals were shot out of a cannon in the fourth quarter and scored eight of the first nine points to take the lead back. The go-ahead bucket came off a steal from Rickards in the back court and Jefferson finished the jumper to put the Cards back up. The Cardinals continued the run after regaining the lead, a stretch that lasted nearly seven minutes. Louisville went on a 16-1 run to give its largest lead of the game.

Louisville outscored Liberty 26-11 in the fourth quarter and the Cards hit their free throws down the stretch to come away with the win. The Cards were 12-for-13 (92.3 percent) from the line in the fourth quarter and 19-for-21 (90.5 percent) from the line in the second half.

The Cardinals will close out the Betty Chancellor Classic on Sunday as they face off with their third team of the tournament. The Cardinals are set to face off with Gonzaga on Sunday from the Merrell Center. The Cardinals and Bulldogs will start at 1:45 p.m. ET and the game will be streamed on ESPN+.