LOUISVILLE (Interstat) — Amiya Joyner had nine points, 14 rebounds and one assist in 16 minutes, and Louisville overwhelmed Stetson 87-35 on Wednesday at KFC Yum! Center. The Cardinals improved to 2-0 while the Hatters fell to 1-1. Louisville controlled the game from the opening minutes, scored the first eight points and never trailed. The Hatters had no answer for Louisville’s size in the paint or its pressure on the perimeter. Louisville finished with 31 made field goals and held Stetson to 13. The announced attendance was 6,696. Joyner, a 6-foot-2 forward from Farmville, N.C., was the top star for Louisville, and the Cardinals’ depth wore down the Hatters throughout the game.

Louisville set the tone with defense and rebounding. Tajianna Roberts opened the scoring with a pullup jump shot, Joyner followed with two layups, and Roberts added free throws to cap an 8-0 start. Stetson did not score until Sophie Locatelli’s layup with 5:09 left in the first quarter. The Hatters briefly found some rhythm behind Sierra Driessen’s pullup jumper and Zoie Lofton’s layup, but Louisville answered with a Grace Mbugua 3-pointer and free throws from Roberts and Driessen. Louisville led 17-8 after the first quarter. The Cardinals extended the margin in the second quarter as Imari Berry converted a 3-point play and another layup plus free throw, Zamareya Jones hit a 3-pointer, and Roberts closed the half with a 3-pointer. Stetson got a 3-pointer from Jorah Eppley, jumpers from Desireck Nieves and Favour Anyaele, and free throws from Locatelli and Driessen, but Louisville took a 40-20 lead into halftime. Louisville’s lead was 20 points at halftime and it never fell below that after the break.

The third quarter removed any doubt. Louisville opened the second half with a run that overwhelmed Stetson on both ends. Zamareya Jones hit a jumper and a 3-pointer, Roberts added a layup and a jumper, Berry knocked down a 3-pointer and converted a tip-in, and Grace Mbugua scored inside with free throws and a layup. Ariyana Cradle added two layups as the Cardinals outscored Stetson 28-6 in the period and took a 68-26 lead into the fourth. Stetson’s only third-quarter points came on Candela Garcia-Escribano’s floating jumper and jumper, plus a Desireck Nieves pullup. Louisville’s pressure forced turnovers and its offensive rebounds produced extra possessions. In the fourth quarter, Louisville emptied its bench and still pulled away. Ariyana Cradle scored twice inside, Deniya Prawl added a free throw and a tip-in, Rebekah Graves hit two 3-pointers and a layup, Ayse Melek Demirer scored on a tip-in and a floating jumper, and Louisville finished the game with a 52-point margin. The Cardinals’ lead reached 42 points after three quarters and grew to 52 by the final buzzer. Stetson got a 3-pointer from Jorah Eppley, free throws from Sierra Driessen, a tip-in from Addison Godby and a jumper from Driessen.

Stetson shot 13 of 55 from the floor, 2 of 18 from three-point range and 7 of 8 from the free throw line. Louisville shot 31 of 66 overall, 8 of 27 from beyond the arc and 17 of 26 from the line. Stetson scored 35 points from 80 possessions, an offensive rating of 43.9. Louisville scored 87 points from 77 possessions, an offensive rating of 112.5. The Hatters managed nine offensive rebounds and five assists while committing 30 turnovers. Louisville finished with 18 offensive rebounds, 21 assists and four blocks. The Cardinals committed 17 turnovers. Louisville finished with 21 assists on 31 made field goals while Stetson had five assists and 30 turnovers. Stetson made just two 3-pointers and rarely reached the free throw line, going 7 of 8. Louisville attempted 26 free throws and made 17. The Cardinals’ 18 offensive rebounds gave them repeated second chances.

Joyner led Louisville’s rebounding effort and was the top star for the Cardinals. Tajianna Roberts added 14 points, one rebound and four assists in 26 minutes. Imari Berry scored 16 points with three rebounds and two assists in 20 minutes. Zamareya Jones had 11 points, four rebounds and four assists in 20 minutes. Ariyana Cradle contributed 11 points, two rebounds and one assist in 21 minutes. Ayse Melek Demirer had four points, seven rebounds and one block in 17 minutes. Deniya Prawl added five points and five rebounds in 18 minutes. Grace Mbugua scored nine points with four rebounds, one assist and one block in 11 minutes. Carys Baker grabbed nine rebounds to go with one assist and two blocks in 23 minutes. For Stetson, Sierra Driessen scored 10 points with three rebounds in 18 minutes. Sophie Locatelli, Desireck Nieves, Jorah Eppley, Candela Garcia-Escribano and Addison Godby also contributed baskets during the Hatters’ offensive struggles. Joyner’s previous recent performance included 14 points and four rebounds against Bellarmine, and she remained active on the glass throughout the game. Berry and Roberts provided perimeter scoring while Cradle and Jones attacked off the dribble.

Stetson opened its season with a win over Flagler before falling to the Cardinals. Louisville opened with a rout of Bellarmine and has now won its first two games. The Hatters next visit Miami, then play at Florida International and Clemson. Louisville next plays at Southern Indiana. The Cardinals’ early schedule continues with a home game against Lindenwood and a trip to Ball State before a home matchup with Connecticut. Stetson will then continue a road-heavy stretch with games at UCF and against Wright State and Robert Morris in Daytona Beach, Fla. Louisville’s schedule includes a home game against Akron and a trip to Texas before games against Eastern Kentucky and Kentucky. Both teams will continue nonconference play.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Louisville 72, Stetson 60. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Louisville with a 99.4 percent probability to win.