LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — The Louisville women’s basketball team has a trip planned to Alcatraz this weekend. But on Thursday night, they made sure to lock up Stanford first.
The No. 7 Cardinals didn’t shoot the lights out. They didn’t pass with their usual rhythm.
But this is what it looks like when a Top 10 team isn’t at the top of its game offensively. They pressed, deflected, rebounded and rolled to an 84-66 win on the road, their 13th straight victory and the kind of performance that proves they don’t need perfection to win comfortably.
“We weren’t good offensively — not at all,” Louisville coach Jeff Walz said. “But the defense? That was fun to watch. And if we ever get a night when everybody plays well at once? Golly, it could be really fun to watch.”
This is the 16th straight season Louisville (20-3, 10-0 ACC) has won 20 or more games, the fourth-longest active streak in the nation. It also marks 12 consecutive years with at least 10 wins in ACC play — a feat unmatched by any other program in the league.
And they’re just getting started. And still getting better.
Louisville forced 22 turnovers, scored 26 points off them, and led for nearly 40 full minutes. They were up by 18 at halftime and by as many as 27 in the fourth, before Walz emptied the bench and started thinking about Sunday’s next stop across the Bay.
The headliner was Laura Ziegler, who scored a career-high 22 points, pulled down 11 rebounds, and answered every Stanford surge in the second half with a big shot or a better decision.
“She made big-time plays tonight,” Walz said. “It didn’t surprise me. The matchup was perfect for her — a big post trying to guard her, and she’s able to shoot it, drive it, face up, score from 15 feet. She makes it really tough on people.”
Ziegler became the sixth different Louisville player to score 20 in a game this season, another example of how deep — and selfless — this team can be.
She wasn’t alone. Mackenly Randolph scored a career-high 14 points, including 13 in the first half, and continued her recent rise with four offensive rebounds, three assists and just one turnover.
“Mac has really been putting the time in the gym,” Walz said. “She came out here and took shots with confidence. Played tough. Played strong. I thought she was outstanding.”
Louisville also got 10 points each from Tajianna Roberts and Elif Istanbulluoglu, and 11 off the bench from Skylar Jones, who added two steals and a pair of key transition finishes.
The Cardinals shot just 7-of-24 from three (29%), but made up for it by shooting 47% overall, dominating 44-30 in the paint, and winning the bench battle 26-17. They’re second in the nation in bench scoring this season.
Stanford, playing without its top two scorers, shot 43% from the field but couldn’t survive the havoc created by Louisville’s depth and ball pressure. The Cards even mixed in some zone fronts in the second half to keep the Cardinal guessing.
“We stood around too much on offense,” Walz said. “We’ve got to get better movement, better passing. But the defense created so much for us, and we took advantage.”
The only shadow on the night was a late ankle injury to sophomore Imari Berry, who had four points and four rebounds in 20 minutes. Walz confirmed it was a sprain, and then offered his usual deadpan optimism:
“The good thing is, she’s got two of them.”
Louisville will stay out west and face Cal on Sunday afternoon. Between now and then? A little practice. Some film review. And yes, a team visit to Alcatraz.
“We’ve got some boosters out here, we’re going to see the sights,” Walz said. “You want to make these trips about more than just a game. But of course, I’d love to end it with a win. Sunday’s going to be a big one.”
Big ones are becoming routine for these Cardinals. And whether they’re in a jailhouse, gymnasium, or tournament bracket, they seem increasingly comfortable locking up whoever’s in front of them.
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