Roberts, Louisville Outlast SMU in Dallas

Tajianna Roberts led the way with 22 points.

Louisville Cardinals head coach Jeff Walz calls out to his players during their game against the Kentucky Wildcats on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024 at Memorial Coliseum in Lexington, Ky. / Clare Grant/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Press Release from the University of Louisville:

DALLAS, Texas —The Louisville women’s basketball team (15-6, 8-2 ACC) held on for an 80-75 win over SMU (10-12, 2-8 ACC) Thursday night at the Moody Coliseum. The lead changed hands multiple times down the stretch but the Cardinals pulled away from good after a game-winning jumper from Tajianna Roberts with 56 seconds left. With the win, the Cardinals improved to 8-2 on the roadthis season and finished the month of January with a 7-1 record.

Roberts led the way with 22 points, set a career high with a team-best five assists, tied a career high with four steals and had four rebounds. Jayda Curry scored in double figures with 15 points on 5-for-9 shooting and 3-for-5 from behind the arc to go with four assists. Izela Arenas scored 11 points and hit three three-pointers. Nyla Harris had another sharp shooting night with 14 points on 4-for-5 from the floor.

Louisville shot 52.7 percent (30-for-57) from the floor in the win. They are now 7-0 this season and 159-3 all-time under Jeff Walz when shooting 50 percent or better from the field. The Cardinals lost the rebounding battle 30-25 but it was the first time this season SMU lost when having more rebounds than their opponents. They were 8-0 this season when winning the rebounding battle. 

It was a fast start for the Cardinals as they ripped off a 7-0 run to get the lead up to double digits. SMU clawed back as the quarter went along but the Cardinals were hitting shots at a high rate from the floor. Louisville finished the first quarter 9-for-17 (52.9 percent) and held a 21-15 lead. Harris tallied six points in the opening quarter.

After getting off to a slow start in the second quarter and SMU took their first lead of the game, the Louisville freshmen started to take over. Mackenly Randolph and Roberts scored the next seven points as Louisville regained the lead. Roberts scored nine points in the second as the Louisville freshmen combined for 18 of the Cards 20 points in the frame. Heading into the half, Louisville had a 41-32 lead. 

The Cardinals took a 61-51 lead into the fourth quarter. Curry scored a quick five points in the third after missing most of the first half with foul trouble. 

The fourth quarter got interesting as SMU stormed back and retook the lead with under four minutes remaining. From that point on, both teams went back and forth with the lead as the game came down to the final moments. With the Cards trailing by one and the clock under a minute, Roberts nailed the jumper to put the Cardinals back ahead. Louisville scored the final six points of the game to secure the win.

The Cardinals will head back to campus to kick start a three-game homestand this weekend. Louisville begins the homestand with their first of two matchups against No. 3 Notre Dame. The Cardinals and Irish will meet on Sunday at the KFC Yum! Center for the Pink Game. It is set fora 12 p.m. ET start and will be broadcast nationally on ESPN2.

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