Myisha Hines-Allen had 22 points and 13 rebounds to help Jeff Walz & his # 7 Louisville Cardinals beat Georgia Tech 60-50 in Friday’s quarterfinals at the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament.
Hines-Allen didn’t get a lot of help from her teammates, with the rest of the second-seeded Cardinals (25-6) managing to shoot a combined 28 percent (12 for 43). But they frustrated the cold-shooting Yellow Jackets (19-12) just about all night, taking a 10-point halftime lead and never letting Georgia Tech closer than six again.
Second-leading scorer Mariya Moore struggled, finishing with 11 points on 1-for-12 shooting. But the Cardinals had enough balance with eight players scoring to stay in front, winning their seventh straight.
ACC leading scorer Aaliyah Whiteside finished with 20 points to lead seventh-seeded Georgia Tech, but it came on a 6-for-20 shooting performance. The Yellow Jackets shot just 31 percent, including 2 for 10 from 3-point range.
Louisville advanced to Saturday’s semifinals to face the winner of Friday’s last quarterfinal between North Carolina State and No. 17 Syracuse.
The Cardinals started the season 1-4 but had won six straight and 21 of 22 entering Greensboro, with the only loss coming by five to No. 2 Notre Dame. And Hines-Allen was named ACC player of the year earlier this week.
But Louisville didn’t have the easiest time of it Friday night. Sure, the Cardinals played from in front, but they had a hard time stretching out their lead. And they got a brief scare when Hines-Allen crumpled in the lane clutching her right shoulder after a scrap for a rebound and left the game late in the third quarter. She returned minutes later.
But Hines-Allen quickly returned and provided enough punch to get Louisville through a tough game. She finished 10 for 20 from the field and had Louisville’s last four baskets, including all three of their fourth-quarter made shots.
The big one came after Georgia Tech had clawed to within 54-48. Hines-Allen buried a tough straightaway turnaround over Georgia Tech’s Roddreka Rogers with 2:29 left. It was the only basket by either team in the final 3 minutes until Imani Tilford hit a meaningless long 2 on the game’s final play.
TIP-INS
Louisville: Moore missed all nine of her 3-point tries but made 9 of 10 free throws. … Louisville finished with a 45-37 rebounding advantage and scored 16 second-chance points. … Cortnee Walton had 11 rebounds.
UP NEXT
Louisville will play t #17 Syracuse in Saturday’s semifinals at 2:30.
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