The Louisville Cardinals won the right to host the first and second rounds of March Madness at home at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville this year, but that didn't mean Coach Jeff Walz let the team stay in their homes and dorm rooms. Instead, he's had the team approach the tournament as a business trip of sorts — and has even set up "hotel pods" so the players can stay locked in.
Simultaneously being at home but also feeling like they're out on the road has given the roster the chance to experience the best of both worlds, Laura Ziegler and Tajianna Roberts told reporters Sunday ahead of the team's 69-68 win over Alabama on Monday.
The team might be in pods, but "We still feel the city of Louisville," Ziegler explained. "We go out to eat last night. We have people stopping us everywhere, talking to us, saying they're coming to the games."
Roberts agreed. "I think Coach Walz made it a point to let us know it is a business trip, and we're here to get the job done, and I think that's what our main focus is," she said. "Being able to host, we're still familiar with the arena and stuff like that. We have the best fans in the city, so it's great to have them. We definitely felt them yesterday."
Louisville's win over Alabama came down to the wire
The match between the Cardinals and the Crimson Tide came down to the wire Monday morning, with Elif managing a crucial steal with less than two minutes on the clock at the end of the fourth quarter. That allowed Reyna Scott to sink a jumper and Imari Berry the opportunity to get fouled, which gave the Cardinals two free throws and the game.
Roberts added 18 points of her own and Ziegler came up with another 12.
With the win, the Cardinals have advanced to the Sweet Sixteen in Fort Worth, Texas, where they will face Michigan. Louisville has been enjoying a race through March Madness that offers a stark contrast to their 2024-25 season, when they lost to TCU early in the tournament.
The team is benefitting in part from the growth of last year's freshman class, most of whom returned to the program this year, and who have become powerful players during the 2025-26 season. That sophomore class includes Mackenly Randolph, daughter of NBA great Zach Randolph. Mackenly is truly beginning to come into her own, and her performance so far has shown she has what it takes to set herself apart from her famous father and to carve her own path in basketball.