Louisville Dominates Cal with Late Surge, Wins 85-68

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The No. 14 University of Louisville overcame a slow start to secure an 85-68 victory over the California Golden Bears on Wednesday night, marking the Cardinals’ eighth consecutive win in Atlantic Coast Conference play.

Both teams struggled initially, but Louisville found its momentum late in the first half, going on a scoring run that allowed them to lead 41-26 at halftime. The Cardinals finished the half strong with a flurry of three-pointers from Terrence Edwards, who ended the night with a game-high 35 points.

“We started off a bit rocky, but everyone found their rhythm, especially in that last stretch before halftime,” said Edwards, who connected on 7 of 11 attempts from beyond the arc and shot 11 for 19 overall.

Cal came out energized in the second half, scoring 42 points. However, Louisville matched the Golden Bears point-for-point, adding 44 points to secure their lead. Behind Edwards, J'Vonne Hadley and Chucky Hepburn added 16 points each, contributing to Louisville’s offensive prowess as they shot 53% from three-point range and 48% overall.

The Golden Bears struggled significantly, hitting only 20.6% of their shots in the first half and finishing the game with a dismal 29.6%. Jovan Blacksher Jr. was the top scorer for Cal, totaling 22 points on 7 of 14 shooting.

Louisville’s achievement brings their season record to 24-6 overall and 17-2 against ACC opponents, keeping them in a tight race for a top seed within the conference.

“We needed this win to keep pace with the teams at the top,” said Hepburn, who also recorded seven rebounds and five assists. “Every game counts at this point in the season.”

The Cardinals will close out their regular season on Saturday when they host Stanford at 2 p.m. at the KFC Yum! Center. The game will be broadcast live on ESPNU.