Honestly, if you aren't paying attention to what Jeff Walz is doing with this squad right now, you're missing the best show in the 502. People always talk about the "restructuring" phases in college hoops like they’re supposed to be slow. Boring. Tedious. But the way the louisville basketball women's schedule has played out so far in 2025-26? It’s been a total sprint.
We’re sitting here in mid-January 2026, and the Cardinals are currently 17-3. They are 7-0 in the ACC. They just went into South Bend on January 15 and basically took Notre Dame’s lunch money with a 79-66 win.
But look, the schedule isn't just a list of dates. It’s a gauntlet. You’ve got the cross-country flights to the new California schools, the "Battle of the Bluegrass" heartbreakers, and that weirdly late-night Ball State game that had everyone drinking way too much coffee on a Wednesday.
The Remaining 2026 Gauntlet: Who is Left?
If you're looking for the next time to head to the KFC Yum! Center, you need to circle these dates. The back half of the ACC slate is where the seeding for the NCAA Tournament actually gets decided. No more "cupcake" non-conference games.
- January 18: at NC State (Raleigh, NC) – 1:00 PM on ESPN2
- January 25: vs. Boston College (Home) – 2:00 PM on ACCNX
- January 29: at Stanford (Stanford, CA) – 8:00 PM on ESPN
- February 1: at Cal (Berkeley, CA) – 2:00 PM on The CW
- February 5: vs. Duke (Home) – 7:00 PM on ESPN
- February 8: at Syracuse (Syracuse, NY) – 12:00 PM
- February 12: vs. Wake Forest (Home) – 7:00 PM
- February 15: vs. Florida State (Home) – 6:00 PM on ACCN
- February 22: vs. Virginia (Home) – 2:00 PM on The CW
- February 26: at Georgia Tech (Atlanta, GA) – 7:00 PM on ACCN
- March 1: vs. Notre Dame (Home) – 4:00 PM on ESPN2
The Stanford/Cal trip is the one everyone is eyeing. It’s the new reality of the ACC. Flying to the West Coast in the middle of winter for a Thursday/Sunday split is brutal on the legs. Stanford is never an easy out, even if the "legendary" era of Tara VanDerveer is in the rearview.
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That Non-Conference Slate Was Wild
Can we talk about the beginning of November? Opening the season against UConn in Ramstein, Germany? That is insane. Most teams want a warm-up game against a local mid-major. Not Walz. He took the girls to a military base in Europe to play the most storied program in history. They lost 66-79, but it set a tone.
Then came the South Carolina game on December 4. Losing by two points (77-79) to Dawn Staley’s crew at home hurt. It really did. But Tajianna Roberts proved she belongs in the "best guard in the country" conversation that night.
The Kentucky game on November 22 was... well, it was a "Red Out" that turned into a bit of a nightmare. Losing 62-72 to the Cats at the Yum! Center is never part of the plan. It snapped a bit of momentum, but honestly, this team used that loss. Since then, they've been on a tear, including that massive win over #12 North Carolina in Chapel Hill just before Christmas.
Why the "Limited Bench" Narrative is Sorta True (and Sorta Not)
You’ll hear some fans grumbling on the message boards about the bench depth. After the Notre Dame win, some folks were pointing out that the starters are playing massive minutes.
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It’s true. Laura Ziegler is out there nearly 35 minutes a night. She’s the engine. When she’s not on the floor, the rebounding—which was a huge concern coming into the year—tends to dip. But look at the production from the freshman Yevheniia Putra. The 6-foot-3 center from Ukraine has been a massive "find" for the staff. She isn't just a body; she’s a rim protector.
Key Stats That Actually Matter
Sometimes the box score lies, but these numbers don't:
- Points Per Game: 82.7 (Top 20 in the country).
- 3-Point Defense: They are holding opponents to roughly 26%. That’s elite.
- Bench Scoring: It’s actually been better than people think, specifically with Skylar Jones coming in and dropping 20 points against Ball State earlier this season.
How to Watch the Cardinals Move Forward
If you can't make it to the Yum! Center, you're basically at the mercy of your cable package. The louisville basketball women's schedule is spread across everything this year. We’ve got games on ESPN, ESPN2, the ACC Network, and even The CW.
The CW games are a bit of a throwback, but honestly, the production quality has been surprisingly decent. Just make sure you check your local listings because the "at Cal" game on February 1st is one of those "hidden" CW gems.
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Real Talk: What Happens in March?
The regular season ends with a rematch against Notre Dame on March 1st. That game is going to be high-stakes. If Louisville stays on this trajectory, that game could be for the ACC regular-season title.
The Ally ACC Women’s Basketball Tournament starts on March 4 in Duluth, Georgia. Louisville has finished in the top five of the league for 11 straight seasons. That’s a level of consistency most programs would kill for.
What you should do next:
If you're planning on going to the Duke game on February 5, buy your tickets now. That game is historically a sell-out, and with Duke also performing well in the standings, the secondary market prices are going to skyrocket. Also, keep an eye on the "Theme Game" schedule—the school usually does a "Pink Out" or "Salute to Service" during these February home stretches, which always adds a bit of extra energy to the building.
Check the official GoCards website for any last-minute tip time changes, as TV networks love to flex these games with only a week's notice.