Louisville Women Shake Off Slow Start, Cruise Past EKU in Non-Conference Finale
For a moment on Wednesday night, it looked like Louisville might be in for a longer evening than expected. The Cardinals came out flat against Eastern Kentucky, trailing 19-14 after the first quarter. But once the second period tipped off, the energy shifted-and fast.
Louisville turned up the pressure, locked in on both ends, and never looked back. By the time the final buzzer sounded, they had outscored EKU 62-32 over the final three quarters and walked away with a convincing 76-51 win in their last non-conference home game of the season.
The win moves the Cardinals to 11-3 overall and 8-2 at the KFC Yum! Center.
Their next test? A marquee matchup with Tennessee on Saturday in Brooklyn as part of the SharkBeauty Women’s Champions Classic-a final tune-up before the grind of conference play begins.
Depth on Display
One of the most telling signs of a team finding its rhythm is when everyone gets involved-and Louisville did just that. All 12 players on the roster found their way into the scoring column, a testament to both the team’s depth and the coaching staff’s trust in the bench.
Taj Roberts led the way with a balanced stat line: 12 points, five rebounds, and two assists. She was active on both ends, setting the tone with her energy. Laura Ziegler chipped in 11 points and pulled down seven boards, continuing her steady contributions in the frontcourt.
Off the bench, Yevheniia Putra made the most of her minutes, notching a career-high 10 points. Skylar Jones added 10 of her own, along with six rebounds and two steals, showing her versatility on the wing.
A Long-Awaited Debut
Perhaps the most encouraging moment of the night came from a player whose stat line didn’t tell the whole story. Freshman forward Grace Mbugua, sidelined all season with an injury, finally made her collegiate debut. She shot just 1-for-9 from the field, but that wasn’t the headline.
In just 11 minutes, Mbugua pulled down a team-high 10 rebounds and blocked two shots. For a player shaking off rust and adjusting to game speed, those are numbers that jump off the page.
“I was excited for Grace to get the opportunity to get out there,” head coach Jeff Walz said during his postgame radio interview. “I thought she rebounded the ball extremely well in 11 minutes-10 boards.
And I wasn’t expecting shots to go in today. It’s your first game, your adrenaline’s pumping, you’re going 100 miles an hour.
But I thought she looked really good and did some good things.”
Building Momentum
This was the kind of performance Louisville needed heading into the final stretch of non-conference play. After a shaky start, they locked in defensively, found their rhythm offensively, and showcased the kind of depth that can be a real weapon come March.
The Cardinals now turn their attention to a high-profile showdown with Tennessee-an opportunity to make a statement before conference play begins. If Wednesday night was any indication, this team is starting to round into form at just the right time.