Cardinals Knock Off #11/14 North Carolina, 62-55

Sunday, February 5

LOUISVILLE, KY

12 PM

University of Louisville

17-8,8-4ACC

#11/14 North Carolina

17-6,8-4ACC

North Carolina

Louisville

February 05, 2023 | Women's Basketball

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Van Lith & Carr led the Cards with 17 points each

By: Matt Paras

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The University of Louisville women's basketball team earned its second ranked win of the season with a 62-55 win over #11/14 North Carolina Sunday afternoon at the KFC Yum! Center. After a low-scoring first half, the Cardinals (17-8, 8-4) overcame a nine-point deficit in the third quarter and outscored the Tar Heels (17-6, 8-4) 39-23 over the final 18 minutes of the game.

Chrislyn Carr and Hailey Van Lith led the Cardinals with 17 points each. Carr tied a season high with five three pointers, the third time this season she has had five in a game. Coming off her first career start and career-best 18 points, Nyla Harris set a career high with 12 rebounds in the win. It is the most rebounds by a Louisville freshman since Olivia Cochran had 15 against Northwestern in the NCAA Tournament in 2021. Mykasa Robinson had another big impact game as she tied a season high with eight rebounds, had five points, four assists and three steals. It is the seventh game this season she has had three or more steals.

The Cardinals stuck with the same lineup for the second game in a row as Nyla Harris, Norika Konno and Mykasa Robinson were back in the starting five. Both teams struggled to score in the opening quarter until the Cards went on an 8-0 spurt over the final few minutes. Van Lith knocked down a three, a mid-range jumper and a transition three to push the Cards in front. At the end of the quarter, Louisville held a 15-12 lead.

The Cardinals continued their strong defense in the second quarter and held the Tar Heels scoreless for a three-minute stretch as the lead grew as high as seven after a Carr three-pointer. The Tar Heels responded with stout defense of their own as they held the Cards scoreless for over five minutes in the quarter. North Carolina regained the lead during the defensive stretch and the Cardinals ended the drought after a put-back lay-up from Morgan Jones with under a minute left. At the half, North Carolina held a slim 24-23 lead.

Van Lith led the Cardinals with eight first half points and Harris added five of her own. Robinson led the Cards with six rebounds and Louisville held the edge on the boards, 26-20, at the break.

In the third quarter, Carolina scored the first eight points and built their lead to nine points with 8:33 remaining in the third. The Cards did not back down and responded with a 13-1 run to regain the lead. Carr hit three three-pointers during the run and Jones scored five points to give the Cards the lead back. At the end of the third, Louisville held a 48-43 lead after outscoring the Tar Heels 25-19 in the frame.

Carr continued her hot shooting in the fourth quarter as she hit her fifth three of the game, tying a season high. North Carolina trimmed the lead down to one, but the Cards ripped off five-straight points to gain some breathing room. The Cardinals never trailed in the fourth quarter as they put the game away at the free throw line to clinch the home win over a Top-15 opponent.

The Cards head back out on the road next week for their next game. Louisville travels to Charlottesville to take on Virginia on Thursday, February 9. The Cavaliers and Cardinals will square off at 7 p.m. ET and the game will be streamed on ACCNX.