The Louisville women’s basketball team, seeded No. 5, secured an electrifying 83-81 win over the No. 12 seed Drake in their NCAA Tournament debut on Saturday night at the Moody Center. The game was a nail-biter, with 14 ties and 12 lead changes, but the Cardinals ultimately prevailed by sinking four of the last five shots to secure their place in the second round for the 13th consecutive tournament.
Hailey Van Lith emerged as the top scorer, contributing 26 points on 10-of-20 shooting, three assists, and two steals. She scored nine of the Cardinals’ last 11 points in the final minutes of the fourth quarter. Van Lith’s 26 points marked a career-best in an NCAA Tournament game and tied for the eighth-most in the program’s history. Mykasa Robinson led the Cardinals with seven assists, while also adding a career-high 14 points, five rebounds, and three steals. Robinson has led the team in assists in 11 of their last 12 games. Nyla Harris achieved a career-best four steals, along with five rebounds and eight points. Merissah Russell scored nine points, while Liz Dixon added six points off the bench.
Playing their first game in 13 days, the Cardinals initially struggled to find their footing. However, they quickly recovered and executed a 6-0 run after making four consecutive field goals, tying the game as they entered the media timeout. The Cardinals wrapped up the first quarter with a 25-23 lead, thanks in part to forcing eight Drake turnovers in the opening 10 minutes.
The Bulldogs maintained their strong shooting performance in the second quarter, making 11 of their first 15 shots (73.3%). The Cardinals managed to curb the Bulldogs’ momentum, ending the second quarter with a 6-0 run and a tied score of 39-39 at halftime.
The third quarter saw both teams trading leads, but the Cardinals gained some traction as they hit five of their last seven shots, ending the quarter with a 56-54 lead. In the fourth quarter, the Cardinals extended their lead to five points at 65-60, prompting a Bulldogs timeout. Despite a fierce comeback, the Bulldogs ultimately fell short, as Van Lith and Robinson scored the final eight points for the Cardinals.
With this victory, the Cardinals will face No. 4 seed Texas in the second round on Monday, March 20. The game time and TV designation for this anticipated matchup are yet to be determined.