Women’s Basketball Streak Ends at 15; Falls to #3 Notre Dame

Mark BlankenbakerFebruary 8, 2016

Myisha Hines-Allen scored a game-high 16 points, and No. 13 Louisville led No. 3 Notre Dame for nearly the entire game, but the Fighting Irish used a late rally to earn a 66-61 victory on Sunday afternoon in the KFC Yum! Center.

Mariya Moore had 12 points and seven rebounds, and Briahanna Jackson added 11 points, six rebounds, four assists, and three steals, as the Cardinals’ (18-6, 10-1 ACC) saw their 15-game winning streak snapped. Asia Durr, who came into the game averaging 14.3 points in league play, was defended tightly the entire game and finished with eight points on 3-of-11 shooting.

Louisville, which held as much as a nine-point advantage at one point in the contest, led 58-57 with 4:38 to go on a free throw by Durr. A pair of free throws by Notre Dame’s Madison Cable tied the game and then gave the Fighting Irish (23-1, 11-0) the lead for good with just more than three minutes to play.

In those closing three minutes, the Cardinals struggled from the field, shooting just 1-of-9, while Notre Dame hit its only field goal attempt and went 4-for-8 from the charity stripe. Shooting proved to be the difference in the final period, with the Cardinals connecting on 5-of-22 (22.7) attempts and the Fighting Irish hitting 6 of its 9 field goals.

The Cardinals opened the game with a strong first quarter, shooting 10-of-20 from the field, including an efficient 2-for-4 from 3-point range. Though Louisville’s hot shooting cooled in the second quarter, the Cardinals’ defense limited Notre Dame to 5-of-15 shooting and three turnovers.

Cortnee Walton produced eight of her game-high 13 rebounds through the first two quarters, and Moore scored all 12 of her points during that stretch.

The Cardinals return to action on Thursday night, when they travel to Pittsburgh. Tip is set for 7 p.m. on ESPN3 in the Petersen Events Center.