Istanbulluoglu scores 23, No. 10 Louisville tops Miami 77-68 to run winning streak to 8 games
Louisville forward Elif Istanbulluoglu (11) goes to the basket as Miami guard Simone Pelish, left, defends during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in Coral Gables, Fla. Credit: AP/Lynne Sladky
CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Elif Istanbulluoglu scored 12 of her career-high 23 points in the third quarter, and No. 10 Louisville pushed its winning streak to eight games with a 77-68 win over Miami on Thursday.
Istanbulluoglu's college-best entering Thursday was 16 points.
Imari Berry scored 16 and Skylar Jones added 12 for Louisville (15-3, 5-0 Atlantic Coast Conference). The Cardinals opened the third quarter with a 15-3 run to build a 10-point lead and didn't trail again.
Amarachi Kimpson scored 18 for Miami (10-6, 2-3), which has now lost 13 straight against AP-ranked opponents. The Hurricanes were without guard Gal Raviv, who is day-to-day with a broken nose suffered in practice.
Vittoria Blasigh and Ra Shaya Kyle each scored 10 for Miami. The Cardinals outscored the Hurricanes 38-12 off the bench.
Louisville improved to 6-0 all-time in Coral Gables, and the eight-game winning streak is the Cardinals' longest since a 15-game streak during the 2021-22 season.
The game started four hours earlier than its original 7 p.m. start time because Miami's football team was playing in a College Football Playoff semifinal at the Fiesta Bowl later Thursday.
Miami forward Natalie Wetzel loses control of the ball as Louisville forward Elif Istanbulluoglu (11) and forward Grace Mbugua (24) defend during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in Coral Gables, Fla. Credit: AP/Lynne Sladky
Miami had cheerleaders, a dance team and one of its mascots at the game as per usual. The Hurricanes invited a band from Dillard High School in Fort Lauderdale to fill in for its band, which was at the bowl game.
“I asked them, did they ever expect to be performing at a collegiate level basketball game? And the answer was no," said Voshaun Smith, Dillard's Director of Bands. “So, this is a very good experience for them because it opens up their eyes on what’s after high school."
Miami coach Tricia Cullop played tenor sax in high school and raved about how the Dillard band did. “They were amazing,” Cullop said. “They brought some energy and I was so appreciative.”
Up next
Louisville: Host Pitt on Sunday.
Louisville guard Reyna Scott, center, drives to the basket as Miami guard Amarachi Kimpson, left, and forward Natalie Wetzel (12) defend during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in Coral Gables, Fla. Credit: AP/Lynne Sladky
Miami: Host Florida State on Sunday.
