Louisville’s Rally Comes Up Just Short in Gritty Loss to Duke
Louisville came into the night riding a 14-game winning streak, undefeated in ACC play, and ranked No. 6 in the country. But that momentum hit a wall on their home floor, as No. 17 Duke handed the Cardinals a 59-58 loss in a game that had all the drama of a postseason battle.
This one had it all - a slow start, a furious comeback, and a final-second chance to tie or win. But in the end, Louisville’s rally fell just short, snapping their win streak and giving them their first conference loss of the season.
A Rough Start That Set the Tone
From the opening tip, it was clear Louisville wasn’t quite in rhythm. The Cardinals didn’t get their first field goal until the 4:32 mark of the first quarter, missing their first eight shots.
Meanwhile, Duke came out firing, shooting a blistering 71.4% in the opening frame and dominating the glass. That combination helped the Blue Devils build a 23-11 lead after one - a 12-point hole that would haunt the Cardinals the rest of the night.
By halftime, Louisville had trimmed the deficit to 10, thanks in part to a late layup from Laura Ziegler. But every time the Cardinals made a push, Duke had an answer - including a dagger three just before the halftime buzzer that sent the visitors into the break up 37-27.
Second-Half Surge Fueled by Defense
If the first half belonged to Duke, the third quarter was all Louisville. The Cardinals turned up the defensive intensity and started to chip away.
Elif Istanbulluoglu led the charge, knocking down a three to cut the deficit to three. She added a layup late in the quarter to cap a 5-0 run, keeping the game within striking distance heading into the fourth.
Istanbulluoglu finished with a team-high 13 points and six rebounds, showing poise and confidence in big moments. Reyna Scott and Laura Ziegler each added 11 points, with Ziegler grabbing a team-best eight boards.
The Fourth Quarter: A Game of Runs
Louisville opened the fourth with a bang. Scott converted a three-point play to tie the game at 46-46.
Then, after a Ziegler steal, she knocked down a corner three to give the Cardinals their first lead of the game. The Yum!
Center crowd - all 10,533 of them - was rocking.
But the momentum didn’t last.
After taking that lead, Louisville went ice cold. They missed their next nine shots from the field and went over six minutes without a basket.
Duke seized the opportunity, going on an 11-1 run to retake control. Even with the offense sputtering, Louisville had a chance in the final seconds.
With 1.1 seconds left, Imari Berry attacked the rim and drew a foul. She calmly sank the first free throw, but the second bounced off the rim. That miss sealed the one-point loss.
Numbers That Tell the Story
The Cardinals struggled to find consistency offensively all night, shooting just 33.9% from the field and 5-of-17 from deep. They also left points at the line, converting only 11-of-18 free throws - including just 5-of-9 in the fourth quarter.
Duke, on the other hand, shot 42.6% from the floor and won the rebounding battle by five. The Blue Devils also swatted away nine shots, using their length and timing to disrupt Louisville’s interior looks.
What’s Next
This one stings for Louisville - not just because the win streak is over, but because they had clawed all the way back and had a chance to steal it. But there’s no time to dwell. A road trip to Syracuse looms on Sunday, and with the ACC standings tightening up, every game from here on out carries extra weight.
For a team that’s shown resilience all season, how they respond to this loss will say a lot about their postseason trajectory.