LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Interstat) — The Louisville Cardinals used a strong fourth-quarter push to fend off the Colorado Buffaloes 74-68 in a nonconference women’s basketball game Wednesday night at a raucous KFC Yum! Center.

In a contest that featured 12 lead changes and was tied on nine occasions, the Cardinals finally created separation in the final period. After entering the fourth quarter knotted at 55, Louisville outscored Colorado 19-13 down the stretch, clamping down defensively to secure the victory in front of 6,730 fans.

Skylar Jones led all scorers for Louisville, pouring in 21 points to go with four rebounds. She was instrumental in the closing minutes, helping the Cardinals seal the game from the free-throw line. Laura Ziegler provided a crucial interior presence, finishing with 15 points, six rebounds and two blocks, while Tajianna Roberts chipped in 16 points and three assists.

The Buffaloes were paced by a stellar performance from Zyanna Walker, who came off the bench to score 19 points and grab seven rebounds in just 22 minutes of action. Anaëlle Dutat recorded a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds, and Logyn Greer also added 13 points and six boards.

Colorado started hot, building an early lead and taking a 23-18 advantage after the first quarter. The Buffaloes’ offense, however, cooled significantly in the second period, managing only 14 points and allowing Louisville to claw back and take a 34-37 lead into halftime.

The third quarter was a back-and-forth affair, with both teams trading baskets and entering the final frame deadlocked. The game remained tight until the Cardinals strung together key defensive stops and capitalized on their free-throw opportunities in the final minutes to pull away.

With the win, Louisville improves its record to 2-1 on the young season. The Cardinals opened their campaign with a loss to Connecticut before bouncing back with a win over Northern Kentucky. Colorado falls to an even 1-1 after opening the season with a decisive victory over New Mexico.

Louisville next travels to face Clemson on Sunday. Colorado returns home to host Portland State, also on Sunday.