The Cardinals are heading to the Final Four for the fourth time in program history.
The top-seeded Cardinals (29-4, 16-2 ACC) made their fourth Last Four appearance in the program's history, and their first since 2018. 1 overall South Carolina now awaits Louisville, with a tip-off from the goal center. Minneapolis, Minn. Scheduled for Friday, April 1 at 7:00 p.m. or 9:30 p.m. No. 1 Stanford and No. 2 Yukon make up the other side of the Final Four.
With Louisville taking a two-point lead with less than three minutes to go, Olivia Cochran made two layoffs and took a charge in three consecutive plays, while also adding a jumper after a few plays. A pair of free throws from both Hailey van Leith and Emily Angstler will make the game snowy.
Van Lith finished with a game-high 22 points, becoming the first Louisville player with four straight 20-point NCAA Tournament games. Chelsea Hall put up a season-high 15 points, with Kiana Smith adding 11. Emily Angstler had just five points, but contributed with 16 rebounds and six steals.
Michigan All-American Naz Hilman was the Wolverines' lone two-point scorer, finishing with an 18 points/11 rebound double-double.
The Cardinals had several opportunities to go on a run and land a knockout punch, but Wolverine struggled to get away. He held Michigan off the ground at 34.8 percent and forced 22 turnovers that resulted in 24 points, but was allowed 15–20 at the free throw line. Louisville shot only five free throws before the final minute of the game, 7–9 overall, while shooting 43.1 percent of the total.
Louisville didn't get out for a decent lead at the start of the first half, but the momentum was in their favor to open the game. The Cardinals tied for nine of their first 17 shot attempts, while the Wolverines missed their first eight. Michigan may have scored 11 turnovers in the first half alone, but it was they who picked up the pace at the break.
The Wolverines linked 10 of their last 14 first-half field goal attempts, while simultaneously topping the Cards in just 3-of-12 halftime, to force eight first-half turnovers. Thanks mainly to a 13-point half from Hall, Louisville still maintained a slim 30-27 lead in the half.
They had a chance to double their lead in the third quarter, but they missed a golden opportunity to do so. Despite holding Michigan 3–11 during this period, the Wolverines' nine free throws made it a two-point game in the fourth quarter.
Louisville again took three possessions in the fourth, only for Michigan to cut it back to two with a 5:42 in the final quarter. The Cardinals went scoreless during this time for 5:07, until Cochran's game-winning burst.