Cardinals Edge Past Cavaliers, 68-65

Mark BlankenbakerJanuary 26, 2025

The Louisville women’s basketball team (14-6, 7-2 ACC) got back on track with a 68-65 win over Virginia (11-10, 3-6 ACC) Sunday afternoon at John Paul Jones Arena. Louisville led by 17 heading into the fourth but the Cavaliers got it within a one score game in the final minutes.

Jayda Curry led the way offensively for the Cardinals as she had 17 points on the afternoon and set a career best with five made three-pointers. Curry also had a team-best eight assists, which tied a career high.

Olivia Cochran tallied her third double-double of the season with 10 points and a team-best 11 rebounds. The Cardinals as a team had 43 rebounds and out-rebounded Virginia 43-31 for the game. Heading into the game, Virginia averaged 40.7 per game on the season.

Tajianna Roberts scored in double figures with 11 points, had a season-best nine rebounds and tied a season high with four assists.

The Cardinals got off to a hot start as they hit five of their first nine shots from the field. Two of those shots were three-pointers by Curry and an 8-0 Louisville run forced the Cavaliers to call an early timeout in the first. Curry finished the quarter with four made three-pointers and the Cards led 25-12 after one.

Curry set a career high with her fifth made three halfway through the second quarter. Olivia Cochran finished off a missed shot for a quick 5-0 run for the Cards and the Cavaliers burned another timeout. Louisville scored six of the last eight points in the second and took a 44-29 lead into the half.

Curry had 17 points in the first half with her career-best five threes while Tajianna Roberts had a career best six rebounds in the first half. Roberts also tied a career best with four assists to lead the team at the break.

In the third quarter, Harris scored eight of her 15 points as the Cards outscored the Cavaliers 18-16 and took a 62-45 lead into the fourth.

The Cavaliers attempted to trim the lead into the fourth quarter as they got it to single digits following a Lattimore lay-up. On the next possession, Roberts hit a 15-foot jumper to put the Cards back up by double digits and stopped the Virginia run. The Cavaliers kept coming and cut the lead all the way down to three with a couple minutes remaining. Louisville held Virginia scoreless over the final 3:27 to hold the lead and secure the win.

Louisville will return to campus before closing out the three-game road trip next Thursday. The Cardinals head to the heart of Texas to take on ACC newcomer SMU on Thursday, January 30. The Cardinals and Mustangs will square off at 8 p.m. ET and it will be broadcast on the ACC Network.