No. 7 Louisville vs California ACC Win Extends Cardinals Streak to 14 Games

BERKELEY Calif. -- No. 7 Louisville delivered a statement road win Sunday, defeating California 71 to 59 at Haas Pavilion in a breaking update that kept the Cardinals tied atop the Atlantic Coast Conference standings.

Tajianna Roberts scored a game high 21 points as Louisville improved to 21 wins and 3 losses overall and a perfect 11 wins in ACC play, extending its winning streak to 14 games. The result maintained a first place tie with No. 20 Duke, which also won Sunday with an 80 to 44 victory over Wake Forest, setting up a pivotal ACC showdown later this week.

Roberts added five assists and four rebounds while serving as the catalyst during the decisive stretch of the game. Elif Istanbulluoglu contributed 15 points and a team high seven rebounds, continuing her strong recent form as Louisville balanced perimeter shooting with interior production.

California entered the afternoon having won three straight and briefly seized momentum midway through the third quarter. Gisella Maul knocked down a three pointer with 7 minutes remaining in the period to give the Golden Bears a 34 to 32 lead. That advantage was short lived.

Roberts immediately responded with a three of her own, igniting a 14 to 2 Louisville run that flipped the game. During that span, Roberts connected on two additional three pointers as the Cardinals surged ahead 46 to 36 with 2 minutes and 50 seconds left in the third quarter. From there, Louisville controlled tempo and spacing, and California did not get closer than five points the rest of the way.

Maul led the Bears with 19 points, while Mjracle Sheppard added 13. Sakima Walker recorded a double double with 12 points and a game high 11 rebounds, but California struggled to generate consistent offense against Louisville defensive pressure in the second half.

The Golden Bears were without starting forward Taylor Barnes, who suffered an injury in Californias 80 to 69 win over Notre Dame on Thursday. Her absence was felt on the glass and in transition, particularly during Louisville third quarter surge.

From a broader league perspective, the latest timeline reinforces Louisville position as one of the ACC most complete teams entering the final stretch of conference play. The Cardinals have now won 11 straight ACC games, a mark that places them among the top contenders nationally in both efficiency and consistency. What this means moving forward is clear. Thursdays matchup against Duke carries major implications for ACC seeding and national rankings, with both programs unbeaten in league play.

Next steps are straightforward. Louisville returns home to host No. 20 Duke on Thursday in what shapes up as one of the conference most impactful games of the season.

California, now 13 wins and 10 losses overall with a 4 and 6 ACC record, will look to regroup on the road at Georgia Tech on Thursday as it continues its push for postseason positioning.