PITTSBURGH (AP) - Dana Evans matched her career high with 29 points and extended her Atlantic Coast Conference scoring lead, helping No. 3 Louisville beat Pittsburgh 82-58 on Thursday night.

Evans, who entered with a conference-best 20.3 points per game average, made 11 of her 20 shots.

Louisville (20-1, 13-1 ACC) led by six at the half, but Evans and the Cardinals came alive in the third quarter. She scored 13 points by herself as the Cardinals outscored the Panthers, 26-13 in the period.

Forward Elizabeth Dixon added 12 points on 6-of-7 shooting for the Cardinals. Elizabeth Balogun came off the bench for 10 points, with the duo contributing to 44-18 Cardinals advantage on points in the paint.

Mykasa Robinson filled the stat sheet, finishing with six points, nine rebounds, five assists, five steals and zero turnovers in 27 minutes.

Louisville smothered Pitt with strong defense all night, holding the Panthers to 30.8% shooting as a team and forcing 20 turnovers, which the Cardinals turned into 21 points off turnovers.

Senior guard Gabbie Green almost singlehandedly kept the Panthers (5-10, 3-8) in the game. She scored 20 points on 7-of-12 shooting and went 5 of 8 from 3-point range.

BIG PICTURE

Louisville reached the 20-win mark for the 11th straight season, extending the program's record. They have won 20 or more games in 13 of head coach Jeff Walz's 14 seasons.

Pitt starting point guard Dayshanette Harris played just two minutes after suffering an early injury. Harris averages over 28.6 minutes per game for the Panthers

UP NEXT

Louisville: The Cardinals continue their season-closing, three-game road trip with a visit to Florida State on Sunday. The Seminoles are 5-0 at home this season.

Pitt: The Panthers wrap the home portion of its 2020-21 schedule by hosting Notre Dame on Monday. The Panthers ended the Irish's season in 2020 with an upset with in the ACC Tournament.