No. 10/11 Cards Cruise Past Panthers, 86-46

Sunday, January 11

LOUISVILLE, KY

2 PM

University of Louisville

16-3,6-0ACC

Pitt

8-10,1-4ACC

Pittsburgh

Louisville

January 11, 2026 | Women's Basketball

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Louisville is off to its best start in ACC play since 2020-21

By: Zach Zsido

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The No. 10/11 Louisville women's basketball team (16-3, 6-0 ACC) secured an 86-46 victory over Pittsburgh (8-10, 1-4 ACC) Sunday afternoon at the KFC Yum! Center. The Cards trailed for the first 41 seconds of the game, then never looked back as they remain undefeated in conference play. It was their largest win over an ACC team since the 2021-22 season.

Five Cardinals scored in double digits, led by Anaya Hardy who scored a career-best 16 points on 7-of-9 shooting while adding nine rebounds and three steals. Laura Ziegler earned 13 points on 6-of-8 shooting and notching seven rebounds, two steals, and a block. Imari Berry and Skylar Jones added 12 points each. Grace Mbugua recorded her first career double-double, scoring 10 points and grabbing 10 rebounds, while tacking on three steals and two blocks in just her fifth collegiate game. Reagan Bender led the team with a career-best six assists.

Both teams started the game going back and forth with Louisville edging Pitt 7-5 over the first 2:39 of the game. The Cards dominated the rest of the first quarter, ending on a 18-1 run bringing the score to 25-6 after the first 10 minutes. The Cardinal defense held the Panthers to just two made field goals and forced 11 turnovers. Hardy led UofL with seven points on 3-of-4 shooting while adding four rebounds.

The Panthers tried to come back, scoring the first four points in the second quarter but Louisville answered with a 12-3 run over the next 5:12 to gain a 27-point advantage, their largest of the half. The teams went back and forth the rest of the quarter with the Cards heading into the locker room up 44-21. Ziegler and Hardy came out on top for UofL in the first half with nine points each, both on 4-of-6 shooting.

The Cardinals came out of halftime on fire, outscoring Pitt 25-11 in the third quarter to gain a 69-32 lead. Berry, Jones, and Hardy scored five points apiece, paving the way for Louisville going into the fourth quarter. Six UofL players recorded a steal in the third quarter.

The Cards kept it up in the fourth quarter, going on a 15-5 run over the first 5:10, earning a 47-point lead, their largest of the game. The Panthers would end the game on a 9-2 run as the Cardinals secured a 86-46 victory.

UofL will travel to South Bend, Indiana to take on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Thursday, January 15 at 6 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast nationally on the ACC Network.