LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Kianna Smith and Hailey Van Lith each scored 20 points, with Van Lith making a couple of clutch baskets to spark a critical 9-0 run in the final minutes to help No. 3 Louisville escape Syracuse 84-71 Thursday night.
The determined Orange rallied to tie the game at 62 early in the fourth before Smith and Van Lith delivered consecutive 3s to give the Cardinals a 68-64 edge. Van Lith made another basket before Olivia Cochran followed with a three-point play to make it 73-66 as the Cardinals won their 14th in a row.
''Personally, it's confidence,'' said Smith. ''We put in a lot of work, so those shots are shots we practice every day. Shooting them is just normal, it's not high-pressure situations.''
Smith made 4 of 7 3-pointers and 8 of 12 shots overall, while Van Lith was 9 of 16 and 2 of 6 from deep. Louisville finished 34 of 66 from the field, with every basket needed to put away Syracuse.
Christianna Carr had 19 points for Syracuse.
Up next for Louisville is a trip to Boston College on Sunday, Jan. 16.
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