RAPID REACTION | Takeaways from Louisville women's 89-65 Brooklyn beatdown of Tennessee | Sports

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) – The Louisville women have been walking toward the next level for weeks now, heel-toe, heel-toe, one cautious step after another. Saturday morning, they kicked off their heels and took a running start.

They didn’t just beat No. 17 Tennessee. They put the Lady Vols in a cab, sent them down Flatbush Avenue, and left their zone defense somewhere in the Gowanus Canal.

Louisville | Kentucky | Indiana | Eric Crawford

This was an 11 a.m. tip at the Barclays Center. Louisville looked like it had just downed its third espresso. Tennessee looked like it hadn’t found the coffee yet. And when the Cards stopped turning it over — just three giveaways in the final quarter — they turned it into a clinic: a 26–13 finishing kick in an 89–65 romp.

"It didn't look like we scouted at all," Tennessee coach Kim Caldwell said. "... They got to every 50-50 ball. This could have been a signature win for us. But it was a terrible result."

Tajianna Roberts led six Cardinals in double figures with 18. Imari Berry had 15 and 13 rebounds, Reina Scott chipped in 13, and Laura Ziegler contributed 10 points and a Ph.D. in floor spacing. Elif Istanbullouglu pulled down 14 rebounds, and possibly the Barclays Center roof.

"It's a great win," Walz said. "We are playing some pretty good basketball. I wish we weren't going on break right now, just how we're passing the basketball, how we're sharing the ball, everybody's involved. The attitudes are great. ... Our effort was elite. I thought our effort was what separated us — rebounding, diving on the floor after loose balls.”

The Cards shot 49 percent. Tennessee shot 34. The box score is still being treated for abrasions.

A few takeaways from the win:

1. Louisville finally finishes

The Cardinals had already shown they could compete with top teams, a narrow loss to No. 3 South Carolina and a gutsy road win at No. 12 North Carolina. But Saturday, they didn’t just compete. They closed. After leading by 11 entering the fourth quarter despite 17 turnovers, Louisville slammed the door with a 26–13 fourth quarter, committing just three turnovers in the final period and holding Tennessee to 26 percent shooting.

“Offensive execution is one [area we can carry over into ACC play] for sure," Walz said. " … We did a great job in the fourth quarter, baseline out of bounds, sideline out of bounds, of converting some big plays.”

2. Elite depth, elite rebounding

Jeff Walz’s bench produced 38 points, more than Tennessee’s starters outside of Zee Spearman (18) and Talaysia Cooper (14). Louisville also dominated the glass, 59–37 overall and 24–7 on second-chance points. Istanbullouglu (14 rebounds) and Imari Berry (13 points, 13 rebounds) were relentless, Berry notching her second straight double-double, Istanbullouglu her third straight game with double-digit boards.

"Throughout the year, we're really making an effort to commit to rebounding, and when you do that, it's going to give you a chance in a lot of basketball games," Walz said. "... I thought we absolutely were phenomenal on the offensive class and did a great job of converting. Because it doesn't matter if you get them and you don't make it. We did a really good job of getting them and scoring."

3. Balanced attack burns the Lady Vols

Louisville had six in double figures: Tajianna Roberts (18), Berry (15), Reyna Scott (13), Mackenly Randolph (11), Laura Ziegler (10), and Skylar Jones (10). Even with 20 turnovers, the Cardinals shot nearly 50 percent from the field and got 52 points in the paint. It was the kind of multi-pronged offense that can travel — and win — in March.

“We don’t have someone that can drop 30," Walz said. "But we've got six or seven that can get between 18 and 10. So it does make us difficult to guard, as long as we execute.”

4. Signature win — and a sign of what's coming?

This was Louisville’s largest margin of victory over a ranked team in nearly two years and came on a neutral floor against a tradition-rich Tennessee program. With a matchup against No. 1 South Carolina already in their rearview, and a strong ACC slate ahead, the Cardinals just showed they have the firepower — and the grit — to raise expectations with ACC play on the horizon.