LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Interstat) — The Louisville women’s basketball team used a dominant second-quarter surge to overpower Ball State 93-62 in a nonconference matchup Wednesday night at KFC Yum! Center.

A crowd of 6,477 watched as the Louisville Cardinals, sharing a nickname with their opponents, improved to 9-3 overall, while the Ball State Cardinals fell to 8-3.

The game’s decisive stretch came in the second period. Leading 21-12 after the first quarter, Louisville erupted for 29 points while holding Ball State to just 13, turning a competitive opening into a commanding 50-25 halftime lead. The home team’s offensive execution and defensive pressure during that quarter effectively decided the contest, as Ball State never cut the deficit below 20 points in the second half.

Louisville’s victory was fueled by balanced scoring and efficient play. Skylar Jones, a 6-foot sophomore from Chicago, led all scorers with 20 points in just 18 minutes, adding three assists. Laura Ziegler, a 6-2 sophomore from Herley, Denmark, recorded a double-double with 15 points and was a force on the glass. Imari Berry, a 5-10 freshman from Clarksville, Tennessee, contributed 10 points and three assists, while frontcourt players Anaya Hardy (12 points) and Mackenly Randolph (12 points) provided consistent interior production.

Ball State was led by Bree Salenbien, a 6-2 sophomore from Adrian, Michigan, who finished with 13 points. Tessa Towers, a 6-5 freshman from Batavia, Illinois, added 10 points and two assists. The visiting Cardinals struggled to find an offensive rhythm against Louisville’s defense, particularly in the first half, and were hampered by 21 turnovers.

Louisville set the tone early, opening the game on a 6-0 run highlighted by Anaya Hardy’s free throws and a layup. Ball State briefly responded, but a late first-quarter run by Louisville, capped by a Skylar Jones layup with 47 seconds left, extended the lead to nine. The second quarter belonged entirely to the home team, as they opened with a 13-2 run featuring three-pointers from Jones and Berry, pushing the advantage to 34-14 and forcing a Ball State timeout. The lead ballooned to 27 by halftime after Laura Ziegler’s turnaround jumper in the final minute.

The second half saw Louisville maintain its comfortable margin. Ball State showed more offensive life after halftime, scoring 16 points in the third quarter and a game-high 21 in the fourth, but could not string together enough stops to mount a serious threat. Louisville’s depth was on display as 10 different players scored, with Peyton Bradley adding eight points off the bench.

The most important part of the game was unquestionably Louisville’s overwhelming second-quarter performance. During that 10-minute span, they outscored Ball State by 16 points, shooting efficiently from the field while forcing eight Ball State turnovers. This explosive quarter transformed a single-digit game into a lopsided affair, allowing Louisville to control the tempo and rotate its roster liberally for the remainder of the night. The run showcased Louisville’s superior athleticism and execution, highlighting the gap between the ACC contender and the Mid-American Conference visitor on this occasion.

Louisville finished the game shooting 49.3 percent from the field and held Ball State to 34.4 percent shooting. The home team also won the rebounding battle 45-34 and converted Ball State’s turnovers into 30 points.

Ball State will look to rebound on the road at South Dakota State on Sunday. Louisville faces a significant ACC test next, traveling to face North Carolina, also on Sunday.