Thursday, February 16
South Bend, Ind.
7 PM
University of Louisville
at
#10/10 Notre Dame
Cardinals Head North for Clash with #10 Notre Dame
February 15, 2023 | Women's Basketball
This will be the first of two matchups with Notre Dame over the final weeks of the season
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The University of Louisville women's basketball team is about to begin its final road swing of the regular season as they head north to South Bend. The Cardinals are set to face #10 Notre Dame on Thursday night and it will be the first of two matchups with the Irish over the final two weeks of the season. Thursday's matchup from Purcell Pavilion is set for a 7 p.m. tip and will be aired nationally on ESPN.
Seeding for the upcoming ACC Tournament is at play during Thursday's matchup as the Irish and Cardinals are separated by just one game in the standings. If the season ended today, the Irish would be the No. 2 seed as they are 11-3 in ACC play and the Cardinals are right behind at 10-4 and would be the No. 4 seed. The top-four seeds get a double-bye at the ACC Championships, which will be held in Greensboro starting on Wednesday, March 1.
The Cardinals are taking a four-game winning streak into South Bend after defeating Clemson, 81-69, this past Sunday at the KFC Yum! Center. The Cardinals raced out to start the game and held a 51-22 lead at the half, their largest halftime lead against an ACC opponent this season. Louisville was red hot in the second quarter, as it was 7-for-11 from behind the arc and they hit 10 threes in the first half against the Tigers. The Cardinals had four players scored in double figures for the sixth time this season and they improved to 6-0 in those games.
Hailey Van Lith led the way with a game-high 19 points as she was 6-for-12 from the floor and 5-for-6 from three. It was a season high for threes made and the eighth time this season she has shot 50 percent or better from the field. It was the 11th game during ACC play that Van Lith has scored 17 points or more. Mykasa Robinson led the Cards with a game-high nine assists, tied a career high with 10 points and had five rebounds, two steals and a block in the win. Norika Konno had a career-high 12 points and a career-best four made threes in her fourth-consecutive start. Olivia Cochran had a team-high 12 rebounds, her fifth game this season with 10 or more boards.
The Cardinals new lineup is 4-0 after the recent home win over Clemson. Robinson, Konno and Nyla Harris have started each of the last four games for the Cards and they have all been victories. Robinson has been on a tear during the winning streak as she is averaging 7.0 points, 7.8 assists, 6.5 rebounds and 3.0 steals over the last four games. Chrislyn Carr has been a spark plug coming off the bench as she has averaged 14.3 points over the last four games and led the Cards in plus/minus in each game. The Cardinals have been passing the ball at a high rate as they have averaged 18.8 assists in the previous four games. They have 75 assists on 99 made baskets during the winning streak, good for a .758 assist rate.
Date: Thursday, February 16
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Site: South Bend, Ind. | Purcell Pavilion (9,149)
TV: ESPN (Ryan Ruocco, play-by-play; Rebecca Lobo, analyst)
Radio: 93.9-FM WLCL (Nick Curran, play-by-play; Cortnee Walton, analyst)
Last Meeting: W, 86-64 (Feb. 27, 2022 at South Bend, Ind.)
Series History: Louisville trails 12-16 (home 5-5, away 5-6, neutral 2-5)
ABOUT THE FIGHTING IRISH
Notre Dame is 20-4 on the season and are 11-3 in ACC play. They are ranked 10th in the AP poll and 10th in the coaches poll heading into Thursday's matchup with the Cardinals. Notre Dame is also coming off a 2-0 week with a 69-63 home win over Pitt and a 73-64 home win over Syracuse. This will be the first of two matchups between the Cardinals and Irish over the final two weeks of the regular season. Thursday's matchup will pit two of the best shooting teams in the conference. Notre Dame leads the league with a .464 shooting percentage on the season and the Cardinals are second with a .459 shooting percentage. In conference games, Louisville leads the league with a .457 mark and Notre Dame is third with a .434 mark. Both teams have been able to facilitate the ball at a high rate as Notre Dame leads the league with 15.8 assists per game in ACC games this year. Louisville is right behind them with the league's second-best mark of 15.4 assists per game.
Series History - This will be the 29th meeting between the two schools as they have been conference foes going back to the BIG EAST days. The Cardinals trail the all-time series 12-16 but they have had most of the recent success between the two schools. Louisville has won the last six matchups and it is the longest winning streak for the Cardinals in the matchup's history. The Cardinals are 5-6 all-time at Purcell Pavilion but have won the previous three games played up at Notre Dame.
Last Meeting (Feb. 27, 2022) - Kianna Smith and Hailey Van Lith each scored 20 points and No. 4 Louisville raced to a huge lead and routed No. 14 Notre Dame 86-64 on Sunday. The Cardinals (25-3, 16-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) led 41-3 early in the second quarter. They beat the Irish (21-7, 13-5) for the sixth straight time in the conference regular-season closer for both teams. Louisville was up 48-6 when Notre Dame made consecutive baskets, the second by Olivia Miles at 2:49 before halftime after her steal. Emily Engstler had 17 points and Chelsie Hall added 13 for the Cardinals, who would tie for the ACC title if No. 3 North Carolina State loses later in the day to No. 23 Virginia Tech. Regardless of the outcome, Louisville will be the No. 2 seed in the ACC postseason tourney and has a double bye to Friday's quarterfinals. The Cardinals jumped to a 31-3 lead after the first quarter. Ivey tried to stop the Louisville momentum with timeouts and substitutions, but nothing worked. Louisville made its first seven shots in the opening 4:38 in taking an 18-1 lead. The Cardinals scored the first 10 points of the second quarter and led 54-15 at halftime. Louisville hit 23 of 34 shots (68%), including 8 of 12 (67%) on 3-pointers before the break.
FOLLOW LOUISVILLE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL ON SOCIAL MEDIA
For the latest on Louisville women's basketball, visit GoCards.com, or follow the team's Instagram account at @LouisvilleWBB, Twitter account at @LouisvilleWBB or on Facebook at facebook.com/louisvillewbb.
Seeding for the upcoming ACC Tournament is at play during Thursday's matchup as the Irish and Cardinals are separated by just one game in the standings. If the season ended today, the Irish would be the No. 2 seed as they are 11-3 in ACC play and the Cardinals are right behind at 10-4 and would be the No. 4 seed. The top-four seeds get a double-bye at the ACC Championships, which will be held in Greensboro starting on Wednesday, March 1.
The Cardinals are taking a four-game winning streak into South Bend after defeating Clemson, 81-69, this past Sunday at the KFC Yum! Center. The Cardinals raced out to start the game and held a 51-22 lead at the half, their largest halftime lead against an ACC opponent this season. Louisville was red hot in the second quarter, as it was 7-for-11 from behind the arc and they hit 10 threes in the first half against the Tigers. The Cardinals had four players scored in double figures for the sixth time this season and they improved to 6-0 in those games.
Hailey Van Lith led the way with a game-high 19 points as she was 6-for-12 from the floor and 5-for-6 from three. It was a season high for threes made and the eighth time this season she has shot 50 percent or better from the field. It was the 11th game during ACC play that Van Lith has scored 17 points or more. Mykasa Robinson led the Cards with a game-high nine assists, tied a career high with 10 points and had five rebounds, two steals and a block in the win. Norika Konno had a career-high 12 points and a career-best four made threes in her fourth-consecutive start. Olivia Cochran had a team-high 12 rebounds, her fifth game this season with 10 or more boards.
The Cardinals new lineup is 4-0 after the recent home win over Clemson. Robinson, Konno and Nyla Harris have started each of the last four games for the Cards and they have all been victories. Robinson has been on a tear during the winning streak as she is averaging 7.0 points, 7.8 assists, 6.5 rebounds and 3.0 steals over the last four games. Chrislyn Carr has been a spark plug coming off the bench as she has averaged 14.3 points over the last four games and led the Cards in plus/minus in each game. The Cardinals have been passing the ball at a high rate as they have averaged 18.8 assists in the previous four games. They have 75 assists on 99 made baskets during the winning streak, good for a .758 assist rate.
Date: Thursday, February 16
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Site: South Bend, Ind. | Purcell Pavilion (9,149)
TV: ESPN (Ryan Ruocco, play-by-play; Rebecca Lobo, analyst)
Radio: 93.9-FM WLCL (Nick Curran, play-by-play; Cortnee Walton, analyst)
Last Meeting: W, 86-64 (Feb. 27, 2022 at South Bend, Ind.)
Series History: Louisville trails 12-16 (home 5-5, away 5-6, neutral 2-5)
ABOUT THE FIGHTING IRISH
Notre Dame is 20-4 on the season and are 11-3 in ACC play. They are ranked 10th in the AP poll and 10th in the coaches poll heading into Thursday's matchup with the Cardinals. Notre Dame is also coming off a 2-0 week with a 69-63 home win over Pitt and a 73-64 home win over Syracuse. This will be the first of two matchups between the Cardinals and Irish over the final two weeks of the regular season. Thursday's matchup will pit two of the best shooting teams in the conference. Notre Dame leads the league with a .464 shooting percentage on the season and the Cardinals are second with a .459 shooting percentage. In conference games, Louisville leads the league with a .457 mark and Notre Dame is third with a .434 mark. Both teams have been able to facilitate the ball at a high rate as Notre Dame leads the league with 15.8 assists per game in ACC games this year. Louisville is right behind them with the league's second-best mark of 15.4 assists per game.
Series History - This will be the 29th meeting between the two schools as they have been conference foes going back to the BIG EAST days. The Cardinals trail the all-time series 12-16 but they have had most of the recent success between the two schools. Louisville has won the last six matchups and it is the longest winning streak for the Cardinals in the matchup's history. The Cardinals are 5-6 all-time at Purcell Pavilion but have won the previous three games played up at Notre Dame.
Last Meeting (Feb. 27, 2022) - Kianna Smith and Hailey Van Lith each scored 20 points and No. 4 Louisville raced to a huge lead and routed No. 14 Notre Dame 86-64 on Sunday. The Cardinals (25-3, 16-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) led 41-3 early in the second quarter. They beat the Irish (21-7, 13-5) for the sixth straight time in the conference regular-season closer for both teams. Louisville was up 48-6 when Notre Dame made consecutive baskets, the second by Olivia Miles at 2:49 before halftime after her steal. Emily Engstler had 17 points and Chelsie Hall added 13 for the Cardinals, who would tie for the ACC title if No. 3 North Carolina State loses later in the day to No. 23 Virginia Tech. Regardless of the outcome, Louisville will be the No. 2 seed in the ACC postseason tourney and has a double bye to Friday's quarterfinals. The Cardinals jumped to a 31-3 lead after the first quarter. Ivey tried to stop the Louisville momentum with timeouts and substitutions, but nothing worked. Louisville made its first seven shots in the opening 4:38 in taking an 18-1 lead. The Cardinals scored the first 10 points of the second quarter and led 54-15 at halftime. Louisville hit 23 of 34 shots (68%), including 8 of 12 (67%) on 3-pointers before the break.
FOLLOW LOUISVILLE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL ON SOCIAL MEDIA
For the latest on Louisville women's basketball, visit GoCards.com, or follow the team's Instagram account at @LouisvilleWBB, Twitter account at @LouisvilleWBB or on Facebook at facebook.com/louisvillewbb.
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