No. 25/22 Cardinals Push Past Bulls, 64-60

Sunday, November 24

Orlando, FL (ESPN Wide World of Sports)

1 PM

University of Louisville

4-2,0-0ACC

South Florida

4-3,0-0AAC

Louisville

South Fla.

November 24, 2024 | Women's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Ja’Leah Williams hit the game-winning layup with under a minute to go

By: Matt Paras

KISSIMMEE, Fla. — The No. 25/22 Louisville women's basketball team (4-2) earned a hard fought 64-60 win over South Florida (4-3) in the WBCA State Farm Showcase Sunday afternoon at the State Farm Field House at the ESPN Wide World of Sports. With the Cardinals trailing by one with a minute left, Ja'Leah Williams drove by her defender and converted the game-winning lay-up to put the Cards back up for good with 47.0 left in the game. The Cards finished it off at the free throw line to clinch their second-straight win.

The Cards had three players in double figures, led by Olivia Cochran and Imari Berry, who both had 13 points. Cochran was named the Most Outstanding Player as she finished with 13 points and had a team-high nine rebounds in the win. Jayda Curry was the other Cardinal in double digits with 12 points to go with six assists, three steals and was 4-for-4 at the free line in the final minute of the game.

Playing in her hometown, Nyla Harris also had a team-high nine rebounds to go with eight points on 3-for-3 shooting. Ja'Leah Willams was playing in her home state and she led the team with seven assists against the Bulls. It was the fourth time she has had six or more assists in a game this year.

The Cardinals got off to a slow start in the opening quarter and trailed by as much as 11 after some cold shooting. The Cardinals responded with the next five points to cut into the Bulls lead as the shooting began to heat up. Berry was a spark plug for the Cards once again as she scored the last eight points of the quarter and had 11 in the frame to cut the deficit to 21-18 at the end of the first 10 minutes.

Louisville came out hot in the second quarter and scored the first seven points of the quarter. Cochran tallied the last five of those points to put the Cards in the lead and force the Bulls to call timeout. Cochran continued to take over in the quarter as she scored nine-straight points for the Cards. Louisville outscored South Florida 21-8 in the quarter and took a 39-29 lead into the half.

Berry led all first half scorers with 11 and Cochran was right behind her with nine points. Curry dished out six assists in the first half and Williams added three helpers of her own. The Cardinals as a team had 12 assists on 16 made field goals in the first half.

Late in the fourth quarter, South Florida took its first lead since the opening minutes of the second quarter following a jumper with 1:48 remaining. As the clock ticked below a minute, Williams made her move to the basket and converted to put Louisville back up 60-59. On the defensive end, the Cards forced a tough shot and Harris was able to scoop up the defensive board. Curry knocked down four free throws on back-to-back possessions to secure the win for the Cards.

The Cardinals will close out the two-game road trip as they head west next weekend after Thanksgiving. The Cardinals will be in Boulder to take on Colorado on Saturday November 30. The Cards and Buffaloes will square off at 3 p.m. ET and the game will be streamed on ESPN+.