Louisville, KY -- It's a battle for the ACC as the No. 13 Louisville Cardinals and No. 3 Notre Dame Fighting Irish tip off.
CARDS HOT in ACC Play
Despite starting the season 1-4, the Cardinals went back to basics and turned the season around. Louisville notched their 10th ACC win and 15th-consecutive victory defeating North Carolina in a 78-60 decision.
Through 10 games, the Cardinals have shot 41.9% from the field and 33.2% from beyond the arc while holding opponents to 37.8% from the field, 30% from the three point line.
Most notably, Louisville is forcing opponents to 20.1 turnovers per game.
Power Players
Myisha Hines-Allen leads Louisville in scoring putting up 15.6 points and pulling down 7.8 rebounds while connecting on 51.6% of her shots. Mariya Moore sits at second racking up 14.8 points while dishing out 107 assists on the season. Briahanna Jackson is tallying 12 points and collecting a team-best 51 steals. Asia Durr rounds out the top scorers chipping in 11.6 points per game. Durr has collected double-digits in nine-consecutive contests.
Cortnee Walton leads the Cardinals on the offensive glass, pulling down 94 on the season while chipping in 6 points per game.
Last Time Out
Louisville picked up their eighth road win this season, taking down North Carolina.
The Cardinals and the Tar Heels were neck and neck in the first two periods. Carolina led 32-28 going into the half. The Cardinals suffered a 10 point deficit early in the third period. But Louisville turned the game around and erased the deficit to take a steady lead. The Cardinal defense wore down Carolina and Louisville took care of business in Chapel Hill, 78-60.
The Cardinals had three players post double-figures: Mariya Moore racked up 22 points, connecting on a team-best three from beyond the arc. Asia Durr was close behind tallying 21 points, while pulling down eight rebounds. Myisha Hines-Allen rounds out the top scorers with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Hines-Allen recorded her seventh career double-double.
Louisville finished the evening with a 35% field goal percentage and an impressive 86.4% from the charity stripe. The Cardinals continued their dominate defense forcing 19 turnovers. Louisville also scored 17 second-chance points on 16 offensive boards.
Scouting the Fighting Irish
Like the Cardinals, Notre Dame enters Sunday's match on a 15-game win streak.
The Irish dominated NC State on Thursday, defeating the Wolfpack 82-46. Notre Dame shot an impressive 52.6% from the field while limiting NC State to a dismal 33.3% shooting. The Irish suffocated NC State defensively forcing 24 turnovers and converting the turnovers into 27 points.
Madison Cable led Notre Dame in scoring posting 25 points and pulling down a team-best seven defensive boards. Brianna Turner added 14 points and blocked two shots in 19 minutes. Marina Mabrey chipped in 11 points. Lindsay. Allen and Arike Ogunbowale racked up 10 points a piece. Allen dished out a team-high eight assists.
On the season, Cable is pacing the Fighting Irish tallying 14 points per game and connecting on 46.8% on her shots beyond the arc. Turner falls close behind racking up 13.9 points, while pulling down a team-high 6.9 rebounds. Mabrey and Ogunbowale chipped in 11.7 and 11.4 points per game respectively.
Nationally, Notre Dame is threat sitting at number one in 3-point field goal percentage, connecting on 41.6%, fourth in field goal percentage hitting 49.1% of their shots, eighth in assists per game dishing out 18.3 per game, 10th in scoring offense racking up an average of 80.4 points per game and 15th in free throws made hitting 342 on the season.
The Cardinals and the Fighting Irish tip off at 2PM. The contest will air on ESPN 2.
Undefeateds clash as Notre Dame, Louisville battle for ACC supremacy
The Cardinals return home to fight for first place in the ACC. Louisville has their hands full with powerhouse Notre Dame, but these CARDS are stacked.