No. 8 Cardinals Edged By Virginia, 74-72

Sunday, February 22

LOUISVILLE, KY

12 PM

University of Louisville

24-5,14-2ACC

Virginia

19-8,11-5ACC

Virginia

Louisville

February 22, 2026 | Women's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Walz Postgame Presser Istanbulluoglu & Ziegler Postgame Presser

Virginia hit the game-winning three with 12.2 seconds left

By: Matt Paras

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The No. 8 Louisville women's basketball team (24-5, 14-2 ACC) lost a close one, 74-72, at home to Virginia (19-8, 11-5 ACC) Sunday afternoon at KFC Yum! Center. In a game with four ties and seven lead changes, Virginia came away with the win after a three pointer with 12.2 second remaining.

Louisville was led by Elif Istanbulluoglu with her game-high 20 points on 7-for-10 shooting with five rebounds, three assists and two steals. Laura Ziegler tallied her fifth double-double of the season with 11 points, 12 rebounds and had a team-best seven assists for the second-straight game. Reyna Scott (16 points) and Imari Berry (12 points) rounded out the Cardinals in double figures.

The Cards jumped out to an early 10-3 lead after an Istanbulluoglu three, her fifth-straight point in the quarter. The Cavaliers responded with an 11-0 spurt to take their first lead of the game. During the Virginia run, the Cardinals lost Tajianna Roberts to an injury and she did not return in the game. After the opening quarter, the Cards trailed 18-14.

Virginia went on another run to start the second, a 7-0 run, and their lead reached double digits. Louisville struggled to hit shots from the floor in the second quarter but were able to get points at the line. The Cards were 10-for-10 from the line as 12 total fouls were called in the period. Virginia shot 55.6% from the field in the first half and took a 41-30 lead into the break.

The Cards came out hot in the second half with an 8-0 run, with the last six points of the run coming from Istanbulluoglu. She hit a three to cap off the run and forced a timeout by the Cavaliers. Louisville trimmed the deficit to two points a couple of times in the third but a late spurt from the Cavaliers gave Virginia a 56-49 lead heading into the final quarter.

Louisville kept coming in the fourth and eventually got the game tied up early on in the period. Istanbulluoglu eclipsed the 20-point mark with her third three of the game to knot the game at 61. The Cardinals were able to hit from distance in the final quarter as Berry knocked down her first three of the afternoon to tie the game at 66 with under three minutes left.

After Virginia re-took the lead, Scott answered with a three pointer with 1:33 left to give the Cardinals another one-point lead. Virginia answered with a three of its own but three-straight free throws from Berry gave the Cards another one-point lead with a minute remaining. The Hoos had one final answer with another three-pointer as the shot clock was winding down and it proved to be the difference as Louisville's last shots were unable to fall.

Up next for the Cardinals is their final road game of the regular season. Louisville will travel to Atlanta to take on Georgia Tech on Thursday, February 26. The Cards and Yellow Jackets will square off at 6 p.m. ET and it will be broadcast on the ACC Network.