Louisville Finds Its Footing, and a Fresh New Face, in Win Over EKU
For a half, it looked like Louisville might’ve stumbled into a classic trap game. Coming off an emotional overtime win at No.
12 North Carolina and with a marquee matchup against No. 17 Tennessee just days away, the No.
16 Cardinals took the court Wednesday night looking a little... distracted. But after a sluggish start, they regrouped, refocused, and rolled past Eastern Kentucky, 76-51, at the KFC Yum!
Center.
The first 20 minutes were rough. Louisville couldn’t buy a three (just 1-of-10), trailed for more than 11 minutes, and held just a three-point edge at halftime. The offense looked disjointed, the energy was flat, and EKU’s 2-3 zone gave the Cards more trouble than expected.
But then came the adjustment - and a jolt of something new.
Enter Grace Mbugua.
Making her much-anticipated debut, freshman forward Grace Mbugua finally saw the floor after missing the first month of the season recovering from knee surgery. The stat line?
Modest. She finished with three points on 1-for-9 shooting in just 11 minutes.
But the impact? Immediate.
The 6-foot-4 Danville Christian product - a top-100 national recruit - looked every bit the physical presence Louisville hoped she’d be. She grabbed 10 rebounds, including four on the offensive glass, and added two blocks. Her size, timing, and hustle gave Louisville a new wrinkle in the paint - and a glimpse of what she could become in this rotation.
“I was excited for Grace to get the opportunity to get out there,” head coach Jeff Walz said postgame. “I thought she rebounded the ball extremely well in 11 minutes - 10 boards.
And I wasn’t expecting shots to go in today. First game, adrenaline’s pumping, you’re going 100 miles an hour.
But she looked really good and did some good things.”
Louisville absolutely owned the glass, out-rebounding EKU 60-32 and racking up an 18-6 advantage in second-chance points. The Colonels managed just one offensive rebound in the first half and four total - a testament to the Cardinals’ effort and positioning inside.
Offense by Committee
This wasn’t a lights-out shooting night for Louisville - far from it. The team hit just 40% from the field, a chilly 13% from deep, and 58% from the line. But they moved the ball (18 assists), got a big boost from the bench (38 points), and simply wore EKU down with depth and effort.
Twelve different Cardinals scored, led by Taj Roberts with 12 points. Skylar Jones and Yevheniia Putra added 10 each, while freshman guard Imari Berry continued to show her all-around game.
In just 25 minutes, Berry posted six points, eight rebounds, seven assists (to just one turnover), and four steals. She was everywhere - deflecting passes, pushing the pace, and setting the tone.
“I thought she did a lot of good things,” Walz said. “I think we had a lot of people do good things.
… We came out and executed well, hit a three, and then we just kind of lost our minds for a quarter and a half. Too much trying to play outside the offense.
But when we execute and share the basketball, we’re a very good team.”
Looking Ahead to Tennessee
With the win, Louisville improves to 11-2 and now turns its attention to another ranked opponent. Saturday’s matchup against No.
17 Tennessee in Brooklyn will be the Cardinals’ fifth game this season against a top-25 team. It’s a quick turnaround - the team will practice Thursday morning before heading to New York in the afternoon - and Walz knows the focus needs to be sharper from the jump.
But there’s also a sense of quiet confidence. Louisville has been tested early and often this year, and now, with Mbugua entering the mix, the rotation is getting deeper - and more dangerous.
“She did so many really good things,” Walz said. “And she’s only going to get better as she continues to get playing time and gets adjusted to the college game.
Her rebounding is going to be a huge asset for us as we continue to move forward, and I’ve seen her score the basketball. I know she can put the ball in the basket.”
Louisville didn’t play its cleanest game Wednesday night. But they found a way to win, they got a key piece back, and they head into a top-20 showdown with momentum - and maybe, just maybe, a new weapon in the post.