LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Olivia Cochran scored 18 points and grabbed nine rebounds to help Louisville turn back No. 21 California 70-63 on Thursday night.
Imari Berry scored 14 points for the Cardinals (16-7, 9-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) and Ja’Leah had 11.
Ugonne Onyiah led the Golden Bears (19-5, 7-4) with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Ioanna Krimili added 12 points, Marta Suarez and LuLu Twidale both had 11 and Kayla Williams 10. Reserves had just four points.
It was the second win over a ranked team in eight matchups for the Cardinals and they have three more ahead in the final three weeks of the season. Cochran surpassed 1,500 career points.
Jayda Curry seemed to have all but sealed the game when she turned a steal into a three-point play against her former team for a 62-46 lead midway through the fourth.
Louisville still led by 15 with less than three minutes to play but the Golden Bears reeled off seven points. With the Cardinals missing some free throws, Cal got within 69-63 with 31 seconds left when Williams converted a three-point play. But that was the last push for Cal.
Louisville led by three after one quarter and stretched the lead to 37-22 as the Golden Bears, who missed their last four shots of the first quarter, missed their first eight of the second.
Cal was only 4 of 9 from the foul line before Suarez finally hit a jumper at the 1:30 mark. Krimilli added a 3-pointer but the Cardinals led 37-27 at the half.
The Golden Bears play at No. 3 Notre Dame on Sunday while Stanford plays at Louisville.