Istanbulluoglu scores 18 points, No. 3 Louisville holds off No. 6 Alabama to reach women's Sweet 16

Updated: Mar 23, 2026, 03:06 pm

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- — Elif Istanbulluoglu had 18 points and a key steal with 1:42 remaining that led to Reyna Scott's one-handed jumper as the shot clock expired, Imari Berry added two free throws with 8.2 seconds left and third-seeded Louisville held off No. 6 seed Alabama 69-68 on Monday in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

The Cardinals (29-7) reached their first Sweet 16 since 2023 despite several missed late free throws. Istanbulluoglu made 1 of 2 foul shots and Scott missed both with 2.3 seconds to go to give the Crimson Tide one last chance for a desperation basket.

Diana Collins grabbed the rebound and launched a shot from midcourt that bounced off the backboard, sending Louisville to a matchup Saturday against No. 2 seed Michigan in the Fort Worth 3 regional. The Cardinals will make their 13th overall appearance in the Sweet 16.

Tajianna Roberts also scored 18 points while Laura Ziegler added 12 for Louisville, which won despite making just 8 of 16 from the foul line and 7 of 26 from 3-point range.

Ace Austin had 17 points, including five 3-pointers, off the bench for Alabama before fouling out late in the fourth quarter. The Crimson Tide shot 12 of 26 from behind the arc (46%) after attempting just 10 3s in their first-round victory over Rhode Island.

Collins had 14 points and Karly Weathers 13 including consecutive 3s in the fourth quarter.

Every possession mattered in a game with 18 lead changes and eight ties, and Alabama made its presence felt from long range.

Collins' long-range shooting helped keep the Tide close in a hard-fought game. She went deep 4 for 5 times before going to the bench early in the fourth with her fourth personal foul and the Cardinals matching their biggest lead at 56-49.

Up next

Louisville faces second-seeded Big Ten member Michigan on Saturday in Fort Worth, Texas.

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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness