By Harrison Plank

Louisville women’s basketball finishes as runner-up in the ACC after a close loss to Duke.

A hard-fought game

Elif Istanbulluoglu started eating early, scoring the first two buckets for the Cards while wide open in the paint. 

Toby Fournier got her night started by scoring in the paint as well, but this would be her only shot made in the first half. Duke found a majority of their shots landing from either the free-throw line or beyond the arc.

Tajianna Roberts had a handful of passes get picked off, but made up for it by burying a triple in response to the Blue Devils that put the Cards up 7-6.

Her shot kicked off a 13-0 Louisville run, but attempts by Duke from way downtown kept them alive. Ashlon Jackson hit one of her own right at the buzzer to make it 21-14 at the end of the quarter.

Duke tied it all up early in the second, forcing tough shots from the Cards while burying their own. Jeff Walz called a timeout to let the Cards catch their breath and get the offense going with a drawn-up play.

Mackenley Randolph executed it to perfection, drawing the foul to complete the three-point play.

Another Duke prayer was answered, though, as Jackson hit another triple at the end of the shot clock that put the Blue Devils ahead 27-26.

Louisville landed one for themselves as well. Skylar Jones drilled a post fade as time expired to take a three-point lead.

Duke’s Delaney Thomas crashed the offensive boards as she completed a putback layup that tied it up once again before the half.

Imari Berry continued to have ice in her veins through this tournament, hitting the pull-up buzzer beater right at the half to put Louisville in front 32-30.

Dominance near the rim and from long range were how Louisville stayed in control to start the second. Laura Ziegler and Roberts hit a pair of threes, and Anaya Hardy finished right near the rim 

Both teams traded shots back and forth, evenly matched as they head into the final ten minutes of play.

Louisville had the slight upper hand however, as Randolph drew a shooting foul late to put the Cards ahead 49-46 at the break.

A Blue Devils and-one opened up the final quarter of play, but a missed free throw kept it a one point game.

An Istanbulluoglu poke away on defense and a dish to Randolph put Louisville ahead yet again 53-51.

Both teams fought neck and neck in the final stretch. Tough defensive pressure from both sides kept each team battling.

Where things fall apart

After a nearly three-minute shooting drought, the Blue Devils rallied to take advantage of a turnover by Roberts and a foul from Istanbulluoglu. Duke took the lead with a desperate three from Riley Nelson.

The Blue Devils led 57-59 with 23 seconds to go.

The Cards stayed alive with a layup from Randolph. Berry followed with a clutch rebound. She got the foul and headed to the free throw line with 14 left; the star hit one of two.

The game was still too close. Duke managed to tie the game, giving the Cards four seconds to nail the coffin. They would do so unsuccessfully as Mair blocked a clutch attempt by Berry.

The teams went into overtime with 60 each.

The battle continued as the Cards and Blue Devils traded shots, but Duke came away with an early two-point lead. Louisville’s offense began to crumble under Duke’s pressure and the Blue Devils stayed on top for most of the fifth quarter.

Duke pulled away with two made free throws from Mair and a big three-pointer from Nelson.

They led 70-65 with five to go, and left Louisville with no hope of coming back.

Discipline makes the difference

Randolph and Berry led the Cards’ offensive charge with 17 and 18 points respectively, but it wasn’t enough come away with a win. Both teams fought with grit, but Duke was just better under pressure.

The Cards came to the arena with a bad case of foul trouble. They gave the Blue Devils 26 chances at the line, in which Duke scored 18. Louisville, however, went 6-9 at the charity stripe.

Both teams got their fair share of rebounds but Duke took more advantage of their glass cleaners. That was the difference in today’s game.

Selection Sunday, March 15, will determine the Card’s place in the NCAA tournament.

Photo by Adam Mouchrani / The Louisville Cardinal