The No. 9 University of Louisville women’s basketball team plays its first home game in nearly two weeks, welcoming No. 19 NC State to the KFC Yum! Center on Thursday at 7 p.m.
The Feb. 2 game is being broadcast on ACC Network Extra, with Don Russell (play-by-play) and Sara White (analyst) calling the action. Louisville’s radio broadcast can be heard on WKRD 790 AM, featuring Nick Curran (play-by-play) and Adrienne Johnson (analyst).
Louisville (20-4, 7-2 ACC) finished the month of January with five-consecutive victories, defeating Pittsburgh on the road 63-48 on Sunday. The Cardinals forced 21 turnovers for 21 points and connected on a season-tying high 10 3-pointers. The victory provided Louisville with its seventh-consecutive 20-win season.
Mariya Moore scored a game-high 20 points, knocking down a season-best five 3-pointers. She also had eight rebounds and five assists. Asia Durr chipped in with 13 points, and Briahanna Jackson logged seven assists, just one turnover, and two steals.
On the season, Durr is pacing the Cardinals with 16.7 points on 76 3-pointers, fourth most nationally. Myisha Hines-Allen is carrying a 13.3 scoring average to go with 9.0 rebounds, while Moore is contributing 12.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.4 assists. Jackson leads Louisville with 110 assists and 39 steals.
NC State (16-6, 6-3) had won three-consecutive games before its winning streak was snapped last time out. The Wolfpack fell 83-70 at in-state rival North Carolina on Sunday. NC State hit 17 free throws and forced 24 turnovers for 25 points, but the Tar Heels connected on 52.7 percent of their shots that included a 14-of-24 stint from 3-point range. North Carolina also scored 27 fastbreak points.
Dominique Wilson registered a team-high 18 points in the loss, while Miah Spencer chipped in 15 points and six assists. Jennifer Mathurin (13 points, 10 rebounds) and Chelsea Nelson (11 points, 10 rebounds) each recorded a double-double. Jamie Cherry finished with a game-best 23 points in the victory, combining with Stephanie Watts for 11 3-pointers.
This season, Nelson is pacing the Wolfpack in scoring (11.6) and rebounding (6.5). She is shooting 59.6 percent from the field, but has 10 assists compared to 52 turnovers. Wilson is contributing 11.3 points, and Spencer is scoring 10.7 points to go with a team-high 107 assists. Wilson (33), Mathurin (35), Aislinn Konig (30), and Ashley Williams (50) each have connected on at least 30 3-pointers this season.
Collectively, NC State ranks in the top-30 nationally in scoring defense (No. 23), scoring margin (No. 24), field goal percentage defense (No. 26), and 3-point field goals per game (No. 27).
SERIES HISTORY – NC State vs. Louisville
Louisville and NC State are meeting for the fifth time in series history, with the Cardinals having won the past two meetings.
Last year, Louisville rallied from a 14-point halftime deficit to beat NC State 92-90 in Holliday Gymnasium on Jan. 17, 2016. Both team shot better than 50 percent from the field, but Louisville forced 17 turnovers for 32 points. The Cardinals scored 35 points in the fourth period to complete the comeback.
Mariya Moore finished with a game- and career-high 31 points, including four-consecutive free throws to tie the game in the waning seconds and then seal the Cardinals’ victory. Asia Durr came off the bench and scored 21, going 5 of 5 from 3-point range, and Arica Carter added 13 points. Dominique Wilson had 31 points in the loss, 15 from the free throw line.
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GAME FACTS – NC State at Louisville
Date: Thursday, Feb. 2
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Site: KFC Yum! Center/Crum Court (22,000), Louisville, Ky.
Television: ACC Network Extra will broadcast the game, with Don Russell (play-by-play) and Sara White (analyst) calling the action.
Radio: WKRD 790 AM will broadcast the game, with Nick Curran (play-by-play) and Adrienne Johnson (analyst) calling the action.
Series History: Series is tied 2-2 (UofL: 1-0 in Louisville, 1-1 in Raleigh, 0-1 neutral). Louisville defeated NC State 92-90 on Jan. 17, 2016, in Raleigh, N.C.
Next UofL Game: Monday, Feb. 6 at No. 7/8 Notre Dame, Purcell Pavilion, South Bend, Ind., 7 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
by Ira Green