No. 7 Louisville sets several records in 119-47 season-opening rout of Bellarmine

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Tajianna Roberts scored 15 points, and Imari Berry added 14 for No. 7 Louisville in a 119-47 win over Bellarmine on Monday in the season opener.It was the most points that Louisville had scored in school history. Former North Carolina State guard Zam Jones set a career high with six steals, tied a career high with nine assists and added 11 points in the win.Coach Jeff Walz shuffled 11 players on and off the court as Louisville raced out to a 23-0 lead over the crosstown Knights less than midway through the first quarter.The lead was 44-9 after a quarter, setting a record for the most points scored in a quarter. That broke the mark of 40 that the Cardinals scored against DePaul in the third quarter of a 116-75 victory in 2020. That was the team's previous record for points in a game.On Monday, they led 72-21 at halftime, breaking the record for most points in a half, which was 63 in a 111-33 rout of Bellarmine on Nov. 16, 2023.Berry and Roberts, both of whom earned All-Atlantic Coast Conference preseason honors last month, led seven Cardinals in double figures. Amiya Joyner, a fifth-year transfer from LSU, scored 14 on 5-for-5 shooting in her Louisville debut, and Carys Baker, a second-team All-ACC selection last season for Virginia Tech, scored 13. Freshman Ariyana Cradle and sophomore Grace Mbugua each added 10.Coached by former Louisville star Monique Reed, the Knights shot just 30.2% (16-for-53) and committed 13 of their 35 turnovers in the first quarter.Hana Abdel Aal and Leigha Acoff scored nine apiece in the loss.Up nextBellarmine hosts Simmons, a Louisville-based NCCAA team, on Thursday.Louisville hosts Stetson on Wednesday.___Sign up for Top 25 poll alerts here, visit the Top 25 here and see AP’s full college basketball coverage here