Louisville women's basketball defeats North Carolina 65-57 in ACC Tournament semifinal

Imari Berry's double-double leads No. 12 Louisville past No. 16 North Carolina

Published on Mar. 8, 2026

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Imari Berry scored 22 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead the No. 12 Louisville Cardinals to a 65-57 victory over the No. 16 North Carolina Tar Heels in the semifinals of the ACC Tournament on Saturday. The Cardinals led by five points heading into the fourth quarter and extended their lead to 10 points before North Carolina cut the deficit to five late, but Louisville closed out the game at the free-throw line.

Why it matters

This win advances Louisville to the ACC Tournament championship game against top-seeded and 13th-ranked Duke, while North Carolina will now await its NCAA Tournament seeding on Selection Sunday.

The details

Louisville forward Imari Berry had a standout performance, scoring 22 points on 9-of-14 shooting, including 4-of-8 from 3-point range, while also grabbing 10 rebounds. Laura Ziegler added 13 points for the Cardinals, and Elif Istanbulluoglu chipped in 11. North Carolina was led by Elina Aarnisalo's 17 points, while Nyla Brooks, Lanie Grant, and Indya Nivar also scored in double figures for the Tar Heels.

  • The Cardinals led 16-10 at the end of the first quarter after Berry hit three 3-pointers in the final four minutes.
  • North Carolina cut Louisville's lead to 28-27 at halftime after Brooks scored 8 points in the final six minutes of the second quarter.
  • The Tar Heels took their last lead at 38-37 with under four minutes left in the third quarter before Berry and Ziegler hit 3-pointers to give Louisville a 45-40 advantage heading into the fourth.
  • Louisville extended its lead to 52-42 early in the fourth quarter before North Carolina cut the deficit to 52-46 midway through the period.
  • Berry scored Louisville's next 6 points to push the lead to 58-48 with 2 minutes remaining, and the Cardinals held on to win 65-57.

The players

Imari Berry

A backup guard for the Louisville Cardinals who scored 22 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in the win over North Carolina.

Laura Ziegler

A Louisville player who scored 13 points in the game.

Elif Istanbulluoglu

A Louisville player who scored 11 points in the game.

Elina Aarnisalo

A North Carolina player who scored 17 points in the loss.

Nyla Brooks

A North Carolina player who scored 13 points in the game.

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What they’re saying

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee (Instagram)

What’s next

Louisville will play top-seeded and 13th-ranked Duke in the ACC Tournament championship game on Sunday.

The takeaway

This win for Louisville sets up a championship matchup against Duke, while North Carolina will now await its NCAA Tournament seeding on Selection Sunday. The game featured strong individual performances, particularly from Louisville's Imari Berry, who led the way with a double-double.