LOUISVILLE, Ky.: Dana Evans scored 22 of her career-high 29 points in the first half Tuesday to spur No. 2 Louisville to a 96-61 rout of UT Martin.
This was the second time the teams played each other in less than a month a replacement for a postponed Louisville-North Carolina game.
The Cardinals (8-0) outscored the Skyhawks (2-3) 28-11 in the second quarter to lead 49-24 at halftime. Evans, who scored a previous season high of 25 against UT Martin last month, made six 3-pointers to finish 10 of 12 from the field. She topped her previous best of 28 against Oklahoma State on Nov. 29, 2019.
The All-American guard scored 11 of Louisvilles first 15 points to put Louisville ahead 15-9. The Cardinals made of 10 of 20 shots in the second quarter to put the game out of reach.
Kianna Smith added 14 points with three 3s, helping Louisville win its third rescheduled nonconference game in five days. The Cardinals scored 26 points off 18 turnovers to improve to 11-0 lifetime against UT Martin.
Chelsey Perry had 26 points for UT Martin, which shot 48% after halftime and 40% overall but never got close in the final 20 minutes.
BIG PICTURE
UT Martin needed the work with just two games played since Dec. 8, including its first in nearly a week. The Skyhawks stayed close in the early minutes but couldn’t slow Evans or Louisville after that. The Ohio Valley Conference school won’t make its home debut until Jan. 14 against Austin Peay.
Louisville had shot just 19% from behind the arc the past two games. Evans was coming off an 0-for-3 effort herself but found her stroke early and others joined in as the Cardinals made 13 of 26 from deep.
UP NEXT
UT Martin: Stays on the road with OVC games at Tennessee State on Thursday and Belmont on Saturday.
Louisville: Hosts Clemson on Sunday in its return to Atlantic Coast Conference play.
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