LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Interstat) — The Louisville women’s basketball team delivered a commanding performance Friday night, overwhelming Eastern Illinois from the opening tip and cruising to a 91-38 victory at the KFC Yum! Center.

In a game that was never in doubt, the Cardinals established their dominance early, outscoring the Panthers 21-12 in the first quarter and then exploding for 26 points in the second period to take a 47-23 lead into halftime. The offensive onslaught continued after the break as Louisville maintained its intensity, adding 22 points in both the third and fourth quarters while holding Eastern Illinois to single digits in each of the final two periods.

The contest was part of a multi-team event hosted by Louisville.

The Cardinals’ attack was a balanced and efficient effort, with four players scoring in double figures. Tajianna Roberts led the way with 13 points, while Mackenly Randolph, Elif Istanbulluoglu and Anaya Hardy added 12, 12 and 11 points, respectively. Randolph, a 6-foot guard from Los Angeles, stuffed the stat sheet in just 14 minutes of action, also contributing an assist and a block.

Istanbulluoglu, a 6-foot-3 forward from Istanbul, Turkey, was a force on both ends, adding two blocks and a steal to her scoring output in 18 minutes. Hardy, a 6-foot-3 forward from Detroit, was a perfect 5 for 5 from the field on her way to 11 points.

The Cardinals’ ball movement was sharp, with Laura Ziegler of Herley, Denmark, dishing out a team-high five assists. Reagan Bender, a hometown product from Louisville, provided strong all-around play with eight points, four assists and four steals in 24 minutes. Imari Berry also facilitated well with three assists to go with eight points.

For Eastern Illinois, which remained winless on the season, Tiny Lewis was the lone bright spot, scoring 10 points. Abbie Boutilier, a 6-foot-10 center from Flower Mound, Texas, added six points.

The game’s trajectory was set immediately. Louisville won the opening tip and Istanbulluoglu sank a 3-pointer just 56 seconds into the contest for the first points of the night. The Cardinals then used a 10-0 run, capped by another Istanbulluoglu jumper off a turnover, to build a 9-2 lead and force an early Eastern Illinois timeout.

The Panthers struggled with Louisville’s defensive pressure throughout the first half, committing numerous turnovers that the Cardinals converted into easy transition baskets. A steal and layup by Randolph extended the Louisville lead to 19-9 late in the first quarter, and the advantage only grew from there.

By the time Roberts connected on a 3-pointer with just over two minutes remaining in the second quarter, the Louisville lead had ballooned to 40-23. The Cardinals closed the half on a 7-0 run, punctuated by a Reyna Scott layup just before the buzzer to take a 24-point lead into the locker room.

The second half offered no respite for the Panthers as Louisville continued to execute on both ends of the floor, methodically extending its lead with contributions from up and down the roster.

A crowd of 6,890 watched the game at the downtown Louisville arena.

With the win, Louisville improved its season record to 5-2. The Cardinals are scheduled to face East Tennessee State on Saturday in their next contest, also part of the multi-team event.

Eastern Illinois fell to 0-6 with the loss. The Panthers will look to secure their first win of the season on Saturday when they face Bellarmine.