Louisville Women’s Basketball Dominates Weekend Slate, Prepares for South Carolina Showdown
Louisville women's basketball didn’t just win this weekend - they overwhelmed the competition. Over the course of three days, the Cardinals put together a trio of commanding performances, capped off by a 100-37 dismantling of Bellarmine on Sunday afternoon at the KFC Yum! Center.
This one was never in doubt. Louisville stormed out to a 30-6 lead after the opening quarter and stretched that to a staggering 58-13 by halftime.
It was the kind of start that sets the tone early and leaves no room for a comeback. And it wasn’t just the starters doing the damage - all 12 Cardinals found their way into the scoring column, with eight players notching at least eight points.
That kind of depth and balance is exactly what head coach Jeff Walz wants to see as the season ramps up.
Now sitting at 7-2, Louisville has clearly used this stretch to fine-tune rotations and build confidence across the roster. The weekend was more than just three wins - it was a showcase of offensive rhythm, defensive intensity, and roster versatility.
Bellarmine, meanwhile, is in the early stages of a rebuild under first-year head coach Monique Reid, a Louisville Hall of Famer and former standout under Walz. Her Knights, now 2-7, are battling through adversity with a short bench - just eight healthy players were available.
That lack of depth showed, especially against a high-octane Louisville team firing on all cylinders. Bellarmine struggled to find any offensive rhythm, shooting just 20% from the field and connecting on only 4-of-27 from beyond the arc.
Sunday’s win followed a pair of similarly dominant outings: a 91-38 win over Eastern Illinois on Friday and an 88-50 victory over East Tennessee State on Saturday. Across all three games, Louisville was in control from the jump, outscoring opponents by a combined margin of 241-125.
The Cardinals were efficient offensively, hitting 51% of their shots against Bellarmine, including 13-of-34 from three-point range. They also moved the ball with purpose, creating open looks and spreading the scoring load. Imari Berry led the way with 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting in just 16 minutes, while Reyna Scott added 13, Tajianna Roberts chipped in 12, and Rebekah Graves finished with 10.
For Bellarmine, Rachel Shropshire was the lone bright spot, leading her team with 10 points.
Now comes the real test. Louisville, ranked 23rd in the nation, will host No.
2 South Carolina on Thursday night at the KFC Yum! Center as part of the ACC-SEC Challenge.
It’s a marquee matchup that will offer a much clearer picture of where this Louisville team stands on the national stage. South Carolina, unbeaten and brimming with talent, will present a level of size, speed, and execution that’s on a different tier than what Louisville faced this past weekend.
Still, these three games gave Walz and his staff exactly what they needed - a chance to build chemistry, test different lineups, and get everyone involved. That’s invaluable heading into a top-tier showdown.
As for Bellarmine, the grind continues. The Knights will be back on the road Tuesday, taking on Illinois, looking to regroup and continue developing under Reid’s leadership.
For Louisville, the weekend was about momentum. Thursday night, it’s about measuring up.