Louisville women beat Stetson 87-35 despite two key injuries
The No. 7 Cardinals managed a lopsided victory on Wednesday, relying on bench players to dominate the glass while starting guards sat out.
By Evelyn Henderson ·
Louisville basketball players struggled to find their shooting rhythm against Stetson on Wednesday night, yet the No. 7 Cardinals still secured an 87-35 victory at the KFC Yum! Center. The win extends Louisville's season record to 2-0 and follows a 119-point performance against Bellarmine on Monday.
The Cardinals faced a defensive test as they started the game without two key players. Elif Istanbulluoglu sat out with an ankle injury, while Mackenly Randolph continued concussion protocol. Both players were injured during Monday's opener. Coach Jeff Walz indicated he expects both to return next week but stated he will not rush their recovery.
Amiya Joyner and Carys Baker filled the starting vacancies. Joyner, a transfer from LSU, recorded 14 rebounds and nine points in just 16 minutes. Baker missed all eight of her field goal attempts but contributed nine rebounds, three steals, and two blocked shots. Walz noted that the energy and on-court communication of the missing starters was noticeable in their absence.
Louisville led 40-20 at the break despite shooting 32.4 percent from the field. The team scored only 17 points in the first quarter and committed six turnovers. Walz acknowledged that the team missed several easy layups during the opening period.
The Cardinals adjusted their approach in the second half. Louisville opened the third quarter with a 24-2 run, holding Stetson scoreless for more than five minutes. The team outscored the Hatters 28-6 in that quarter and 47-15 over the final two periods.
Imari Berry led the scoring with 16 points. Tajianna Roberts added 14 points, while Zamareya Jones and freshman Ariyana Cradle each scored 11. Cradle also recorded five steals. Walz highlighted a pass from Cradle to Rebekah Graves as his favorite play of the game, noting he is challenging the freshman to develop as a point guard.
Louisville finished the game with 21 steals and forced 30 turnovers. Stetson shot 23.6 percent from the field. The Cardinals have scored 206 points and allowed 82 in their first two games. Louisville visits Southern Indiana on Sunday at 4 p.m. ET.
Source: WDRB
