Louisville women's basketball must win these 5 ACC games to return to top of conference

The ACC was one of the best conferences in women’s basketball last season. All but one of the Elite Eight games featured an ACC team during the 2023 NCAA Tournament, and Virginia Tech reached the Final Four for the first time.

Despite having what was largely considered a down year during the regular season, Louisville made a fifth straight Elite Eight appearance and reached the ACC Tournament title game. Though the Cardinals lost most of their squad, which included six graduating seniors and star guard Hailey Van Lith’s transfer to LSU, coach Jeff Walz reloaded by signing six players from the transfer portal. Former Georgia Tech guard Eylia Love was an in-season transfer. The team has two freshmen: Eseosa Imafidon, who will redshirt this season, and Elif Istanbulluoglu.

Louisville relieved some concern about having so many newcomers by winning the summer GLOBL Jam as the Team USA representative. The Cardinals hope to continue that momentum in an ACC that’s sure to be as competitive as it was a year ago. Notre Dame guard Olivia Miles, who missed the postseason with an ACL injury, and Virginia Tech center Liz Kitley — the two-time ACC Player of the Year — add to the degree of difficulty for U of L.

The ACC landed six teams on The Athletic’s preseason women’s basketball poll: Virginia Tech (8), Notre Dame (11), North Carolina (13), Florida State (16), Louisville (19) and N.C. State (23).

Walz has assembled a squad that is capable of winning the ACC regular-season title. Here are five teams the Cardinals must beat to accomplish that feat for the first time since 2021:

Virginia Tech

Being the best means beating the best, which, in this case, is ACC Tournament champion Virginia Tech. The Hokies are coming off a historic season and return one of the nation's best players. Kitley averaged 18 points and 10.5 rebounds last season. At 6-foot-6, Kitley caused problems for many teams, but the Cardinals nearly defeated Virginia Tech on its home floor last season, falling on a final missed shot, 81-79.

This season, U of L gets Virginia Tech at home a month later than last season, with the squads facing off in an ESPN-televised matchup Feb. 18. The Cardinals have a more experienced group this season and should have all the kinks worked out when they host the Hokies.

Notre Dame

After winning the ACC regular-season title, the Fighting Irish hope to feature a healthy Miles, who did this to Louisville during the teams' first meeting last season. She tore her ACL in the regular-season finale at Louisville, but Notre Dame won, 68-65, to complete the sweep.

The Fighting Irish and Cardinals will play a home-and-home series on Feb. 8 and March 3 — the regular-season finale again. A sweep will be pivotal for Louisville to get back to the top of the ACC.

N.C. State

Louisville made the Final Four two seasons ago, when it had five losses. One of those was to N.C. State. The Cardinals haven’t beaten the Wolfpack since the 2019-20 season and will try to end the four-game losing streak Feb. 5 in Raleigh, North Carolina.

The Cardinals’ late shooting struggles proved costly last season against N.C. State, which outscored U of L 15-4 in the final quarter. But this season, Louisville has more scoring options.

North Carolina

One of Louisville’s best wins last season was a top-25 victory over North Carolina. It was the second win during the Cardinals’ four-game winning streak that provided momentum heading into the postseason.

This season, U of L is traveling to North Carolina on Jan. 21. The Cardinals are 3-1 in Chapel Hill but lost, 66-65, the last time they visited in 2022. U of L struggled in close games last season, but its veterans should make a difference this season.

With Louisville's backloaded ACC schedule, a victory against the Tar Heels would provide a boost heading into the final month of the regular season.

Miami

Starting conference play on the road against Miami could be considered a trap game for the Cardinals. Though U of L has won four of the last five meetings, the Hurricanes have played the Cardinals close. In the teams' last game in Coral Gables, Florida, Louisville won, 69-66, during the 2021-22 season. Miami avenged the loss a month later, eliminating U of L from the ACC Tournament in the first round. Getting a win right away would put the Cardinals on the right track, with a home game against Duke four days later.

Though playing on New Year's Eve isn’t ideal, Louisville benefits from playing Miami early because the Hurricanes recently have caught fire late in the season. In each of the last two seasons, Miami has won five of its last seven games and lost to the eventual national champion in the NCAA Tournament in the second round and Elite Eight, respectively. Miami held South Carolina and LSU to season lows of 49 and 54 points, respectively, in those games.

Louisville women's basketball: Here's a look at the Cardinals' 2023-24 schedule

Reach Louisville football, women's basketball and baseball beat writer Alexis Cubit at acubit@gannett.com and follow her on X at @Alexis_Cubit.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville women's basketball: Must-win ACC games for Jeff Walz's team