By Dalton Ray — 

Using a 41-6 run over 16 minutes, No. 4 women’s basketball routs Vanderbilt 79-57. The 10-0 start is the second in program history.

Junior Asia Durr pitched in 25 points with 11 coming in the third quarter. The Cardinals forced 26 turnovers, cashing in 29 points.

Louisville started the game up 10-2, but Vandy quickly tied the game at 14.

“We started off great, (up) 10-2, and I was thinking ‘Let’s put them team away,’ which we’ve done before. Then they got an 8-0 swing and it’s a tight game,” coach Jeff Walz said. “Once we started to settle down and communicate, we did some really good things.”

Some of those “really good things” included Louisville holding Vandy to an 11-minute scoring drought from the second to third quarter.

U of L ran away with the game during the scoreless stretch from the Commodores.

First quarter

Durr kicked off the game with a 3-pointer and Carter pitched in a quick five points.

Louisville started the game leading 10-2 then Vandy went on a 14-4 run. With the game tied at 14, it turned into a back-and-forth affair leading to a 24-20 Vandy lead by the end of the quarter.

Louisville couldn’t overcome the hot hand of Bell. Her 16 points led Vanderbilt to a 62 percent shooting percentage.

Second quarter

Vandy’s Chelsie Hall fed off Bell, scoring a quick eight points to start the quarter.

Louisville struggled to convert on their forced turnovers, often giving the ball right back to Vanderbilt.

The Cardinals stop forcing cross-court passes and one-pass possessions, which led to a 9-0 run.

Easy buckets from Sam Fuerhing helped Louisville establish a 42-33 half time lead. The Cards ended on a 16-2 run, preventing the Commodores from scoring for nearly five minutes.

Third quarter

Coming out of halftime, Louisville ripped off a 9-0 run before Vanderbilt called time at the 6:11 mark.

The run extended to 15-0 before Vandy scored. The Commodores went 11 minutes, extending back to the second quarter, without a basket.

Louisville clicked on both ends to blow open the lead. Forcing 11 turnovers, the Cardinals held Vandy to four points in the quarter.

The Cards led 67-37 after three quarters.

Fourth quarter

With the game in check, coach Jeff Walz emptyed the bench. Louisville allowed 12 points in five minutes after allowing four points in the previous 15.

Walz inserted the starters to quit the bleeding and finish the game off.

U of L plays Middle Tennessee Saturday at home at 7 p.m.

You can follow Dalton Ray on Twitter @dray5477. 

Photo by Mike Henderson / The Louisville Cardinal