Second Half Woes Doom Louisville Against UConn

The Cardinals were out-scored 40-20 in the second half after trailing the Huskies by just four at halftime.

Press Release from the University of Louisville:

HARTFORD, Conn. — The No. 18/17 Louisville women's basketball team's (10-2) six-game winning streak came to an end after an 86-62 loss to No. 17/18 UConn (7-4) on Saturday afternoon at the XL Center. The Cardinals trailed by one after the first quarter and four at the break but the Huskies pulled away in the second half.

Kiki Jefferson led the team with 19 points and had a team-best six rebounds and five assists. The five assists tied a season high that she set against Gonzaga. It was her seventh-straight game scoring in double figures. Olivia Cochran joined Jefferson in double figures with 12 points and tied for the team lead with six rebounds. Sydney Taylor had 13 points with three assists against the Huskies.

It was a high scoring first quarter from both teams as they were hot from the floor to begin the game. The Cardinals hit seven-straight shots from the floor during the quarter as they got up as high as three following a fast-break lay-up from Sydney Taylor. The Cardinals finished the first quarter shooting 73.3 percent (11-for-15) from the floor and trailed by just one at 28-27. 

The Huskies pushed ahead by as much as nine in the second quarter until Jefferson took over for the Cardinals. The graduate transfer from James Madison scored the last 11 points of the quarter for the Cards as they trimmed the deficit to 46-42 heading into halftime.

Jefferson led the Louisville scorers with 15 points in the first half on 7-of-9 shooting from the floor. She also dished out a team-best four assists in the first half. Cochran and Taylor both added eight first half points of their own.

UConn put some distance between the Cardinals in the third quarter as Louisville was outscored 19-9 in the frame. Louisville could not mount a comeback in the final quarter as UConn was able to put the game away.

The Cardinals will return to campus for their final game before the holiday break. Louisville is set to host the Washington Huskies at the KFC Yum! Center on Wednesday, December 20. The Cardinals and Huskies will square off at 7 p.m. ET and it will be aired nationally on the ACC Network.

(Photo of Olivia Cochran, K.K. Arnold: David Butler II - USA TODAY Sports)

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