By Derek DeBurger
No. 18 Louisville buries rival Kentucky Wildcats for the seventh consecutive season.
With the two teams heading in opposite directions on the year, Louisville came into the matchup as heavy favorites. However, as rivalries often go, this game was tighter than it should’ve been.
The tone of the game was set early by the Cats. Head coach Kyra Elzy was determined to slow the game down and force the Cards to play in the half-court and for the majority of the game it worked. Louisville only held a two-point lead at the end of the first quarter, and a one-point lead at halftime. Kentucky was able to stifle the Louisville offense with zone defense and by clogging passing lanes.
Kentucky’s star player, Maddie Scherr, was back from injury, and she did her best to carry the Cats. Scherr finished the game as the Cats’ leading scorer with a game-high 22 points and Ajae Petty chipped in another 18.
The intensity from Kentucky held the Cards to just 37% from the field in the first half. It wasn’t until about halfway through the third quarter that the Cards were able to string a few shots together, pressuring Kentucky into forcing up bad looks and turnovers that provided the Cards with easy buckets in transition. The Cards ended the third quarter on a 14-4 run.
Kentucky needed to calm the waters in the fourth if they wanted to steal back some of the momentum, but by that point, the snowball had already started to roll. The Cards opened up the fourth quarter on a 9-2 run, guided by an amazing all-around performance from Eylia Love. Love finished the game as the Cards leading scorer with 14 points, chipping in an additional five rebounds, two assists, and two steals.
Kentucky would cut into the lead to make it 66-61, but after elite team defense, the Cards would go on to win 73-61.
The Cards showed amazing grit to pull out the win on Sunday. When the offense wasn’t coming easy they didn’t let the rest of their play suffer — they locked up on defense and attacked the boards to gain an edge. The Cards had their way with loose balls, hauling in 47 rebounds to Kentucky’s 24. Shots don’t always fall, but when you’re not shooting the lights-out defense is the only way to win.
The adage of “defense travels” is true, and it’s what wins you games in March.
Louisville is now 9-1 on the year, and I’m excited to see what this team can accomplish.
Photo Courtesy // Taris Smith, Rachel Klotz, Louisville Athletics
