Louisville Tops Western Kentucky in Season Opener

Mark BlankenbakerNovember 5, 2019

The ninth-ranked University of Louisville women’s basketball team had four players record double figures as they defeated Western Kentucky 75-56 in the season opener at the KFC Yum! Center on Tuesday.

Dana Evans posted a game-high 19 points, while Elizabeth Dixon registered a double-double on 10 points and 13 rebounds in her debut as a Cardinal. Sherry Porter led the Hilltoppers with 15 points.

Back-to-back three pointers from Elizabeth Balogun and a jumper from Bionca Dunham gave Louisville a 9-0 run at the halfway point of the first quarter. The Cardinals ended the first quarter shooting 69 percent from the field compared to 28 percent for the Hilltoppers.

A jumper by Evans with 4:49 left in the second quarter put the Cardinals up by 12 for their largest lead of the first half. Balogun was 4-4 from behind the arc during the first 20 minutes as the Cardinals went to the break with a 34-25 lead.

Louisville picked up where they left off coming into the second half and quickly rallied for seven unanswered points. Balanced scoring guided the Cardinals in the third quarter as six players got on the board.

A pair of free throws from Norika Konno with 3:24 left on the clock gave the Cardinals their largest lead of the game at 75-52 to secure the victory.

Louisville concluded the game shooting 49 percent from the field and 47 percent from the three-point line. Western Kentucky shot 33 percent from the field and 32 percent from behind the arc.

Balogun scored 15 points on 5-6 shooting from deep, while Jazmine Jones almost recorded a triple-double – finishing with a career-high 10 assists, along with eight points and eight rebounds. Dunham also finished in double figures with 10 points.

The Cardinals continue a five-game home stretch on Friday, Nov. 8 as they take on Murray State at 7 p.m.