Duke Survives Louisville in Overtime Thriller to Advance

By: Raymond Forte

The Duke Blue Devils women’s basketball defeated the Louisville Cardinals women’s basketball 70–65 in a tightly contested overtime battle after a dramatic fourth quarter forced extra time. Duke leaned on second chance opportunities and clutch late baskets to secure the victory, including a key three pointer from Riley Nelson in the closing seconds of overtime that sealed the game.

Louisville set the tone early in the first quarter with strong defensive pressure and second chance scoring to build a 21–14 lead. The Cardinals opened the game with a turnaround jumper from Elif Istanbulluoglu, but Duke briefly grabbed momentum when Taina Mair knocked down a three pointer midway through the quarter. Louisville quickly responded with a 13–0 scoring run sparked by Tajianna Roberts’ fast break three and a series of Duke turnovers forced by the Cardinals’ defense. Laura Ziegler and Imari Berry added key baskets during the run, while offensive rebounds led to tip ins from Ziegler and Mackenly Randolph. Ashlon Jackson knocked down a three pointer late in the quarter to keep Duke within reach as Louisville held a seven point lead.

Duke answered to begin the second quarter with a 7–0 run that tied the game at 21–21. Randolph ended the surge with a three point play to give Louisville the lead again, and Maya Randolph pushed the advantage to four. Mair cut the deficit to two before Jackson connected on a three pointer that briefly put Duke ahead 27–26. Berry answered with a basket to reclaim the lead for Louisville, and Skylar Jones delivered a buzzer beater that pushed the Cardinals ahead. Delaney Thomas later tied the game at 30, but Berry scored again late in the half to send Louisville into the break with a narrow 32–30 advantage.

Louisville carried that momentum into the third quarter when Ziegler opened the period with a three pointer. Duke stayed within striking distance at the free throw line, cutting the deficit to 38–34 midway through the quarter. The teams traded baskets through a tightly contested stretch as Berry extended Louisville’s lead with another three pointer. Duke responded behind Jackson and Mair, who created scoring opportunities that helped the Blue Devils keep pace. Arianna Roberson and Thomas added key baskets late in the quarter, but Louisville held onto a 49–46 lead heading into the fourth.

Duke came out aggressively in the fourth quarter. Riley Nelson attacked the basket for a layup that cut the lead to one, and Mair later knocked down a three pointer off a Louisville turnover to give Duke a 51–49 advantage. Louisville responded with baskets from Berry and Roberts to regain the lead, and Randolph pushed the Cardinals ahead 55–51 with a jumper.

The Blue Devils refused to back down. Thomas scored on a second chance layup before Nelson drilled a second chance three pointer off an assist from Jackson to give Duke a 58–57 lead with under 30 seconds remaining.

Louisville answered out of a timeout when Randolph finished a second chance layup after having her initial attempt blocked, putting the Cardinals ahead 59–58. Berry added one free throw to extend the lead to 60–58 with 14 seconds left.

Duke executed in the final possession. Jackson found Thomas cutting to the basket for a layup that tied the game at 60–60 with four seconds remaining. Louisville had one final opportunity, but Roberts’ three point attempt at the buzzer was blocked by Mair, sending the game into overtime.

In overtime, Duke struck first with a second chance tip in from Thomas. Ziegler responded with a three pointer to briefly put Louisville back in front, but Thomas answered again in the paint to regain the lead for Duke. Jackson added a free throw, and Mair extended the margin to 67–63 with two more from the line.

Louisville cut the deficit to two when Randolph converted a second chance layup, but Nelson delivered the decisive moment of the night, knocking down a second chance three pointer with six seconds remaining to push Duke’s lead to five.

Louisville had one final attempt, but Randolph’s driving layup missed as Duke secured the rebound and closed out the 70–65 overtime victory.