WBB: Cards fall short to #3 South Carolina 79-77

Morgan SchmidtDecember 4, 2025

The Louisville Cardinals fell short to the South Carolina Gamecocks 79-77 in a back-and-forth game for all four quarters. The two teams finished the game with quite an even stat line, but ultimately the game did not fall the Cards’ way.

Louisville took charge early in the first, leading 8-7. The Cardinals were taking advantage of fast breaks and 1-on-1 opportunities. Elif Istanbulluoglu showed strength fighting and making tough buckets in the paint, leading the Cards in scoring, 6 PTS, going into the first timeout with 4:10 left in the first quarter. At the timeout, South Carolina led 18-16.

Shortly after the timeout, the Cards tied up the game 21-21 with an Imari Berry 3-pointer. The Cards took momentum, getting to a 25-21 lead, but the Gamecocks came back at the end of the quarter, ending on a 6-0 run. At the end of the first quarter, South Carolina 27, Louisville 25.

With 7:31 remaining in the second quarter, neither team had yet to make a bucket, all points coming from free throws. At the next timeout with 4:47 left in the second quarter, the Cards and Gamecocks were both shooting 54% in the FG range, and Louisville led in rebounds 14-10. South Carolina 33, Louisville 31.

At 3:25 left, Louisville ties the game 37-37 with a Tajianna Roberts 3-pointer. Jeff Walz calls a timeout with 1:58 remaining after a 6-0 Gamecock run over 52 seconds. Out of the timeout, Istanbulloglu makes a tough jumpshot, making the score 43-39, with South Carolina in the lead.

At the end of the first half, South Carolina 45, Louisville 39.

The Cards went on an 8-0 run early in the third quarter, getting the Cards within 5 of South Carolina after a 5-0 run, giving the Gamecocks an 11-point lead. At 6:42 left in the quarter, the Gamecocks led 50-45. With 4:09 left and a timeout, Louisville trailed 57-54.

The Gamecocks went on a 2:36 scoring drought with no made field goals until 1:36 left in the third quarter. With 22 seconds left, Anaya Hardy makes a tough layup. Shortly after, the Gamecocks, winding the clock down, were taken off guard by Imari Berry, who got a steal and took the ball down the court for a layup just before the clock expired. At the end of the third quarter, the Cards trail 63-62.

Only 8 seconds into the fourth quarter, the Cards take their first lead since the first quarter with a layup by Renya Scott. Shortly after, the Cards get their largest lead of the game of 4. Not lasting long, the Gamecocks get a 3-pointer, giving them the lead 68-67.

Jeff Walz chooses to appeal a call, which was deemed unsuccessful, resulting in a loss of a timeout with 7:04 remaining in the game.

With 4:11 remaining, Dawn Stanley takes a timeout during a 6-0 run by the Cards over a 2:25 period. The Cards have their largest lead of the game, 73-68.

The Gamecocks come right back with their own 6-0 run over a 1:33 period, leading to the Cards trailing 78-75 with 33.8 remaining in the game. Jeff Walz takes a full timeout, the Cards having possession with a full shot clock and trailing only by 3.

After the timeout, Imari Berry gets fouled on a 3-pointer, which is later deemed a 2-point attempt. Berry makes both shots, Cards trailing by 1, 78-77. This is followed by a South Carolina timeout with 23.9 remaining in the game.

After pressure on the inbound by the Cards, Dawn Staley takes her last timeout with 17.5 remaining in the game, the score still 78-77.

After a successful inbound, the Cards find Roberts on the outside, but her three-point attempt is unsuccessful.

The Cards fell short 79-77; their record is now 7-3.