Louisville Falls at North Carolina for First ACC Loss of Season

The Cardinals had been the last remaining undefeated team in ACC play.

Press Release from the University of Louisville:

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — The No. 13/12 Louisville women's basketball team's (16-3, 5-1 ACC) six-game winning streak came to an end after a 79-68 defeat to No. 23/24 North Carolina (14-5, 6-1 ACC) at Carmichael Arena Sunday afternoon. The Cardinals and Tar Heels were tied at halftime but a cold shooting third quarter did the Cardinals in as they dropped their first game in conference play this season.

For the second-straight year, Nyla Harris had one of her best games of the season against the Tar Heels. Harris led the Cardinals with 16 points on 7-for-11 shooting on the afternoon. Olivia Cochran tallied her 11th-straight game in double figures with 14 and Jayda Curry was the other Cardinal in double-digits, also with 14 points. After tying a career high with eight assists against Clemson on Thursday, Kiki Jefferson led the Cards with five against the Tar Heels.

It was a fast start by both teams as they were each trading shot for shot over the opening minutes of play. The Cardinals shooting cooled off as the quarter came to a close and they faced a 22-13 deficit at the end of the first quarter.

The Cardinals responded to start the second quarter as they scored 14 of the first 17 points in the quarter to regain the lead. It was short lived as the Tar Heels tallied the next five points and forced the Cardinals to call a timeout. The Cards defense stepped up over the final 2:08, holding the Tar Heels scoreless and got the game level at 36-36 heading into the half.

The Cardinals were extremely balanced in the first half with five players scoring six points or more. Jefferson led the way with eight while Harris, Curry, Sydney Taylor and Cochran each had six points. 

Louisville came out hot in the third quarter, hitting five of their first seven shots in the quarter. A dry spell towards the end of the quarter gave the Tar Heels the advantage again as the game went into the final quarter. With 10 minutes remaining to play, North Carolina led 60-49.

Louisville went on a 6-0 spurt to get within six early on in the fourth quarter but the Tar Heels answered with a three right before the media timeout. With 4:25 remaining in regulation, North Carolina held a 66-57 lead. The Cardinals cut the deficit to five a couple of times over the final few minutes but that was as close as they could get it as the Tar Heels closed out the game.

The Cardinals will head back to campus and get set to open up a three-game homestand this coming week. Louisville begins the three-game home stretch with their first matchup of the season against Boston College on Thursday, January 25. The Cardinals and Eagles will square off at the KFC Yum! Center at 7 p.m. ET and the game will be streamed on the ACC Network Extra.

(Photo of Olivia Cochran: Scott Utterback - Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK)

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