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TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Louisville used its opportunistic defense to get off to a fast start in the NCAA Tournament.
Myisha Hines-Allen scored 19 points, leading the third-seeded Cardinals to an 86-53 victory over BYU on Saturday.
Louisville scored 38 points off 30 turnovers.
"We knew coming into this game that we had to dictate the tempo," coach Jeff Walz said. "They're a very good basketball team when you allow them to set up. A majority of time our defensive pressure forced them out of their comfort zone."
Jude Schimmel added 13 points for the Cardinals (26-6), and Shawnta' Dyer and Bria Smith had 11 apiece.
Next up for Louisville is the winner of Saturday's second game in Tampa between South Florida and LSU.
"We had to pressure to survive and advance in the tournament," Hines-Allen said.
Morgan Bailey had 15 points and Lexi Eaton scored 14 for 14th-seeded BYU (23-10. Bailey played most of the second half with four fouls.
"They're a lot better in person than watching film," BYU coach Jeff Judkins said. "I've really never seen a couple of my players as rattled as they were tonight. That's what Jeff's plan was. It started that way. I thought we would get over it after half and come back and settle down, but we just stayed the same way."
Louisville extended a 14-point halftime lead to 48-26 on Hines-Allen's layup with 15 1/2 minutes to play.
Bailey's three-point play trimmed Louisville's lead to 54-38 with 12 minutes remaining, but BYU was unable to catch the Cardinals.
Allen had nine points as Louisville grabbed a 38-24 lead at the break. The Cardinals got 20 points off 17 BYU turnovers in the first half.
Louisville went ahead 24-12 with nine minutes left after turning consecutive takeaways into quick baskets by Smith and Schimmel.
"I think after the first couple of turnovers we were on our heels a little bit," Bailey said. "Fear is the No. 1 thing that can tear a team apart, and I think there was a little bit and it was contagious. We kind of regained our composure, but by then it was too late."
The Cardinals' lead grew to 38-20 3 minutes before halftime when Mariya Moore got her first points on a pair of 3s. The forward, who entered averaging 13.8 points, finished with eight.
TIP-INS
Louisville: The Cardinals are in the NCAA tourney for the 18th time, including each of the past five years. ... Walz is 19-6 in NCAA Tournament games. ... It's the third time Louisville has been a third seed. The Cardinals reached the Final Four in 2009 and the Elite Eight last year as a No. 3 seed. ... Moore was given a flagrant foul early in the second half.
BYU: The Cougars have reached the NCAA Tournament 11 times and three of the past four seasons. ... BYU started two seniors, guard Xojian Harry and Bailey, who entered averaging 17.3 points and 10.5 rebounds. ... Eaton received a technical foul with 5 minutes to play.
UP NEXT
BYU's season is over.
Louisville will play South Florida or LSU in the second round Monday night.
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