LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Eastern Kentucky University led after the opening quarter and trailed by just three at halftime but fell 76-51 to No. 16 Louisville on Wednesday night at the KFC Yum! Center.
 
EKU (7-4) has dropped its last three games as the non-conference slate winds down, all three losses coming against upper-level competition such as teams from the Big 12 Conference, Atlantic Coast Conference, and Sun Belt Conference.
 
Senior guard Althea Kara Angeles led the Colonels with 10 points, knocking down two 3-pointers and padding on three assists. Fellow senior guard Ndidiamaka Ndukwe finished with nine points and eight rebounds, narrowly missing a double-double.
 
Senior forward Joseana Vaz added nine points and six rebounds before fouling out in the fourth quarter. Junior forward Kailani Lindsey chipped in six points and six rebounds in 20 minutes off the bench.
 
No. 16 Louisville (11-3, 2-0 ACC) placed four players in double figures. Tajianna Roberts, the Cardinals' leading scorer on the season, finished with 12 points on 4-of-10 shooting. Freshman forward Grace Mbugua, a Danville, Kentucky, native, made her collegiate debut with three points and 10 rebounds.
 
EKU held Louisville to its lowest scoring output this season against a mid-major opponent (76 points) and finished with the smallest margin of defeat (25 points) by a mid-major program against the Cardinals this year.
 
The Colonels opened the game confidently, building an early lead behind hot shooting from beyond the arc. Angeles and sophomore Liz Freihofer each connected from long range, while Vaz added a 3-pointer as EKU built a six-point cushion.
 
Ndukwe capped the opening quarter with a driving layup in the final minute, giving EKU a 19-14 lead after one.
 
Louisville responded in the second quarter by ramping up defensive pressure, forcing multiple turnovers and holding EKU to eight points in the period. Skylar Jones and Roberts scored inside for the Cardinals, while Yevheniia Putra provided a spark off the bench.
Roberts' free throw in the final seconds closed the half and gave Louisville a 30-27 advantage at the break.
 
The Cardinals seized control in the third quarter, outscoring EKU 24-10 to build a double-digit lead. Laura Ziegler and Elif Istanbulluoglu scored repeatedly in the paint, while Roberts added points at the free-throw line as Louisville dominated the glass and limited second-chance opportunities.
 
Louisville maintained its momentum in the fourth quarter, getting balanced scoring from its bench and continuing to attack inside. The Cardinals posted 22 points in the final period to secure the win.
 
EKU shot 35% (20 of 57) from the field and connected on six 3-pointers, compared to three for Louisville. The Colonels forced 16 turnovers and were outrebounded by eight.
 
EKU returns to action Friday night at Presbyterian College in South Carolina. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. ET, with the game streamed live on ESPN+.