65-57 CARDS WIN OVER UNC LED BY BERRY.
Write it down. Louisville WBB is headed to the 2026 ACC Tournament final to face Duke. The Cards got a huge lift from Clarksville, TN's pride and joy Imari Berry and got a courageous effort out of Elif Istanbulluoglu who returned to the game after seemingly spraining her ankle earlier in the contest.
How do you feel about the transfer now, Nyla Harris? she only totaled six points against her former UofL teammates.
The Cards got two threes from Berry to end the first quarter and they gave UofL a 16-10 lead. .UNC wasn't ready to start up the bus and go back to Chapel Hill though. They saw the Cards get to an eight-point lead but battled back and made it 26-24 with a little over two mnutes to play. Nyla Brooks was doing all she could to keep UNC in it, she got a tip in to make it 28-27 with 29 seconds until half and that's how the teams went to the midway break.
The Cards and Heels played ping-pong with the lead to start the second half. There were seven lead changes in the first four minutes of the second half. Berry got the Cards up by four at 42-38 with 1:17 left in the quarter but Brooks cut it to two with a couple free throws. A Laura Ziegler three pushed the Cards to a 45-40 lead after three.
If you thought the first three quarters were a rollicking roller coasted, in the words of Bachman-Turner Overdrive "You ain't seen nothing yet."
BTO sings "You Ain't Seen Northin' Yet
The Cards jumped put to a 10-point lead in the first monute of the final quarter but UNC cut it back to six halfway thru the quarter. Just before that, Cardinals fans took a deep collective breath when Elif fell awkwardly on her ankle and crumpled to the floor. She had to be helped off the floor and was taken to the locker room. But, somehow... she returned to the game with 3:42 to go.
Berry stepped up, though...and said "I'm not ready to go home" and hit two straight baskets to keep the Cards ahead 56-46 with 2:51 to play. UNC got a three from Nyla Brooks with 21 seconds to play to cut the Cards lead to five at 62-57 UNC had no option except to foul and Reyna Scott hit two free throws with 17 seconds let in the game and one charity toss from Ziegler with eight seconds to go set the 65-57 final score.
So. Duke for the final on Sunday at 1 p.m.. It should be a classic, and ESPN will have the broadcast.
(Photosmfrom Internet)
That was a well played basketball game go Cards.
ReplyDeleteI see CJW was getting on the officials early almost got it early Tech. Lol
Laura Zeigler & the Woman from Istanbul, Türkiye with the one two punch.
Imari Berry 🔥🏀was ready scoring 24 pt.
You can go far in the tournament if you have Elite Guard play.
Shoutout to MacKenly Randolph, she's playing really good basketball! Sophomore class is coming up big time.
The Cardinals played real good defense switching and denying 3-point attempts.
So Laura Ziegler for Nyla Harris I think that's a good move, that NIL money was worth it.
Next up, Duke Blue Devils! The Cards need to limit Duke's rebounding for second chance shots.
The question for the day is what uniforms red or black.