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In the days leading up to the first women’s basketball game of the Peraton Armed Forces Classic, toughness became the focal point. Both No. 19 Louisville and top-ranked UConn, the defending champion, took in the experience and learned about the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. After getting off to a slow start, the Cardinals showed resilience and attempted a comeback late in the fourth quarter. But they couldn’t pull it off and fell to UConn, 79-66, on Tuesday night.
Louisville debuted four new starters, but none of them had an answer for UConn’s tandem of KK Arnold and Sarah Strong. The two Huskies combined equally for 26 points at the half. Taj Roberts, U of L’s lone returning starter, was nullified offensively and only had one point through three quarters. Saint Joseph’s transfer Laura Ziegler highlighted the team by making her Cardinals debut with a double-double (16 points, 18 rebounds).
Louisville’s Imari Berry entered the starting lineup in the season opener and looked better than a year ago. The sophomore was quicker on the court and had a co-team-leading six points after the first two quarters. But those points were few and far between as the Cardinals missed their first eight field goals of the contest.
Oklahoma transfer Reyna Scott scored U of L’s first field goal off the bench for a 14-4 deficit at the 5:17 mark of the first quarter. The team’s shooting struggles continued as it found itself facing a 44-23 deficit at halftime after making 9 of 34 field goals (26.5%).
Despite Mackenly Randolph scoring the first points of the second half, Louisville went more than five minutes without scoring in the third quarter.
The Cardinals couldn’t counter a poor shooting night with defense and allowed UConn to a few open 3-point shots early in the game. The Huskies built a 14-1 lead to start the game and shot 45% from the field by the time it was over.
The Cardinals matched the Huskies’ scoring 17-17 in the third quarter, and Ziegler showed her range with back-to-back 3-point shots in the first two minutes of the fourth quarter. But the first-half deficit was too great to overcome as the squad opened the season with a loss.
U of L (0-1) faces Northern Kentucky, Cardinals coach Jeff Walz’s alma mater, at 2 p.m. Sunday in the home opener.
Reach Louisville football, women's basketball and baseball beat writer Alexis Cubit at [email protected] and follow her on X at @Alexis_Cubit.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Top-ranked UConn women's basketball handles Louisville in season debut
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Louisville debuted four new starters, but none of them had an answer for UConn’s tandem of KK Arnold and Sarah Strong. The two Huskies combined equally for 26 points at the half. Taj Roberts, U of L’s lone returning starter, was nullified offensively and only had one point through three quarters. Saint Joseph’s transfer Laura Ziegler highlighted the team by making her Cardinals debut with a double-double (16 points, 18 rebounds).
Louisville’s Imari Berry entered the starting lineup in the season opener and looked better than a year ago. The sophomore was quicker on the court and had a co-team-leading six points after the first two quarters. But those points were few and far between as the Cardinals missed their first eight field goals of the contest.
Oklahoma transfer Reyna Scott scored U of L’s first field goal off the bench for a 14-4 deficit at the 5:17 mark of the first quarter. The team’s shooting struggles continued as it found itself facing a 44-23 deficit at halftime after making 9 of 34 field goals (26.5%).
Despite Mackenly Randolph scoring the first points of the second half, Louisville went more than five minutes without scoring in the third quarter.
The Cardinals couldn’t counter a poor shooting night with defense and allowed UConn to a few open 3-point shots early in the game. The Huskies built a 14-1 lead to start the game and shot 45% from the field by the time it was over.
The Cardinals matched the Huskies’ scoring 17-17 in the third quarter, and Ziegler showed her range with back-to-back 3-point shots in the first two minutes of the fourth quarter. But the first-half deficit was too great to overcome as the squad opened the season with a loss.
U of L (0-1) faces Northern Kentucky, Cardinals coach Jeff Walz’s alma mater, at 2 p.m. Sunday in the home opener.
Reach Louisville football, women's basketball and baseball beat writer Alexis Cubit at [email protected] and follow her on X at @Alexis_Cubit.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Top-ranked UConn women's basketball handles Louisville in season debut
Continue reading...
