In a stunning display of defense, the No. 4 seed Louisville Cardinals defeated the No. 1 seed Notre Dame Fighting Irish 64-38 in the ACC Tournament semifinals. After losing both regular season matchups to Notre Dame, the Cardinals left no doubt this time, holding the Irish to their lowest point total of the season and the fewest points allowed in an ACC Tournament semifinal in history.
Led by Mykasa Robinson’s 10 points, eight rebounds, and five assists, Louisville’s defense frustrated Notre Dame all game long. Hailey Van Lith led all scorers with 15 points, while Olivia Cochran and Chrislyn Carr each contributed double-digit scoring as well.
Louisville got off to a slow start on the offensive end but made up for it with their defense, forcing six turnovers in the first quarter and holding the Irish scoreless for the final 3:39. At the end of the first, Louisville held a 12-7 lead.
In the second quarter, the Cardinals continued their strong play on both ends of the court, extending their lead to 14 points at halftime. Robinson was the standout player in the first half, leading all scorers with eight points and contributing five rebounds and two assists. Cochran also had a strong showing with six points and six rebounds.
The second half saw Louisville continue to dominate on defense, holding Notre Dame to under 10 points in each quarter. Cochran and Robinson both reached double figures in the third quarter, and the Cardinals controlled the pace of the game throughout.
Louisville’s lead grew to as much as 34 points in the fourth quarter as they closed out the game and advanced to the ACC Tournament Finals for the fourth time in program history. They will face either the No. 2 seed Duke Blue Devils or No. 3 seed Virginia Tech Hokies in the championship game, which will be aired nationally on ESPN at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday afternoon.
With their impressive defensive performance against Notre Dame, Louisville has shown that they have what it takes to win the ACC Tournament and make a run in the NCAA Tournament. Their suffocating defense could prove to be a challenge for any opponent they face.
