No. 24/23 Arkansas 71, Kentucky 50 – FINAL
Team Records and Series Notes
- The University of Kentucky women’s basketball program is in its 49th season with an 890-575 (.608) all-time record.
- The Wildcats are now 8-6 overall and 0-2 in the league.
- The Razorbacks are now 14-3 overall and 1-1 in the league.
- Kyra Elzy is in her third season as the head coach of the Wildcats, holding a 45-27 overall record.
- She has a 17-16 overall record in the SEC.
- Kentucky remains the leader in the all-time series with Arkansas, 16-4.
- Kentucky will go on the road to play Georgia in Athens, Georgia, on Thursday, Jan. 5 at 7 p.m. ET.
Team Notes
- Kentucky used the starting combination Jada Walker, Maddie Scherr, Robyn Benton, Blair Green and Nyah Leveretter for the eighth game this season. UK is 5-3 using that starting combination.
- Kentucky won the opening tip.
- Jada Walker was the first player to score for Kentucky.
- Ajae Petty was the first substitute off the bench for Kentucky.
- The Wildcats and the Razorbacks were tied, 8-8, at the media timeout at 4:57, as the two teams turned the ball over a combined nine times in the first five minutes.
- Kentucky won the opening tip, then turned the ball over to Arkansas, allowing the Razorbacks to take a quick 2-0 lead.
- The two teams traded points on the next couple of possessions, until Kentucky went on its first run of the game.
- It was a 4-0 run by Jada Walker and Maddie Scherr, which helped Kentucky take an 8-6 lead with five minutes and 33 seconds remaining in the first quarter.
- Arkansas responded with a 10-0 run to earn a 16-8 lead with less than a minute remaining in the first quarter.
- Kentucky didn’t score for the last five minutes and 33 seconds in the first quarter.
- Arkansas led Kentucky, 16-8, at the end of the first quarter.
- The Razorbacks improved their scoring series to a 16-0 run at the start of the second quarter, making the period’s first six points, which prompted the Wildcats to call a timeout with seven minutes and three seconds remaining in the second quarter.
- Ajae Petty sparked the Cats on offense, scoring back-to-back layups to keep within 10 points out of the timeout.
- Arkansas responded with a 10-0 run that lasted five minutes, stretching the Razorbacks’ lead, 32-12.
- Emma King snapped the Razorbacks’ scoring run with a jumper at 1:36.
- King then earned a steal on the Backs’ next possession, but the Cats turned the ball over on a travel.
- Arkansas rallied a layup right before the one-minute mark.
- Blair Green answered with a 3-pointer, then a second-chance jumper on Kentucky’s next possession.
- The Razorbacks led the Wildcats, 34-19, at halftime.
- Walker came out of halftime with back-to-back points in the paint. That series included a block on the other end of the court by King.
- Arkansas came back with back-to-back makes from long range, followed by a jumper off a turnover.
- Nyah Leveretter then made a second-chance layup.
- The Razorbacks then enjoyed another 10-0 run.
- Blair Green capped that scoring run with a turnaround jumper at 2:10, the Wildcats first points since the seventh minute of the third quarter.
- The two teams went scoreless for more than a minute, until Walker drew a foul, making one of her two attempts at the line.
- The Razorbacks capped the third quarter with a make at the line.
- Arkansas led Kentucky, 53-28, at the end of the third quarter.
- Kentucky went on an 8-2 run to begin the fourth quarter.
- Arkansas snapped Kentucky’s scoring series with a back-to-back layups over the next 45 seconds.
- Kentucky then scored on five straight free throws in a series that lasted for more than a minute.
- The two teams then went steady back-and-forth in scoring, until Arkansas used the final two minutes of the game to go on a 5-2 run down the stretch.
- Arkansas defeated Kentucky, 71-50.
- Kentucky shot 26.2 percent from the field on 17-of-65 shooting, while Arkansas shot 42.2 percent from the floor on 27-of-64 shooting.
- The Wildcats knocked down a pair of shots from long range.
- The Wildcats went 14-of-19 from the line.
- The Wildcats and the Razorbacks tied in rebounds, 41-41, and in second-chance points, 9-9.
Player Notes
- Graduate guard Blair Green led Kentucky with 14 points.
- It marked her third straight game she has scored in double digits.
- It marked her seventh game this season she has scored in double digits.
- It marked her second time this season has led the team in scoring.
- She went 2-of-6 from long range.
- It marked the fourth straight game she has scored in double digits.
- She added two rebounds, two steals and one assist.
- It marked her second straight game she has made at least one steal and one assist.
- She also went 2-of-2 from the line.
- Sophomore guard Jada Walker had 13 points.
- She has scored in double digits in four straight games.
- She has scored in double digits in 11 games this season.
- She added two assists, two steals and a rebound.
- It marked the fourth straight game she has made at least four assists.
- Junior guard Maddie Scherr grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds.
- She added eight points, a season-high tying five steals and three assists.
- It marked the fifth straight game she has made at least one steal.
- It marked the 11th straight game she has dished out at least two assists.
- She added eight points, a season-high tying five steals and three assists.
- Junior guard Nyah Leveretter had a career-high tying nine rebounds.
- She added five points, a steal and a block.
- She had made at least one block in four of the last five games.
- It marked the second straight game she has made at least one steal.
- She added five points, a steal and a block.
UK ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC RELATIONS
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL POSTGAME QUOTES
Kentucky Head Coach Kyra Elzy
On playing without Robyn Benton …
“It was a game-time decision and we will still take it day-by-day. We definitely missed her on the floor as she is our leading scorer and a veteran guard. When that happens—which injuries do happen—we talk about ‘next man up’ and being ready when your number is called. I didn’t need any of them to be Robyn Benton but, collectively, we had enough to get the job done and play this game for her. It was a very disappointing day.”
On making adjustments looking forward …
“Myself and the coaching staff will go back and evaluate how we’re playing and the changes that we need to make. It’s still early but obviously what we’re doing isn’t working. The goal is to win and we’ve got to find a way to do that.”
On Blair Green’s early foul trouble …
“Blair got a foul and [we] went back to her with two fouls. I trust her as a vet to come back in and play. We couldn’t go too long without her.”
On the team’s offensive struggles …
“Offensively, we were a bit stagnant and a little unsure of ourselves. We have to have more movement and play in our four-out pass and cut. They were sagging on us but, at the end of the day, we have to be able to step out and make that 15-17 foot shot consistently. I thought we had some open threes that didn’t go in for us. I told the players in the locker room that when our offense isn’t going, you have to hammer in on defense and get some stops. I thought we let our offense affect our defense, especially in the third (quarter). We got frustrated offensively and we let that pour into the defensive side.”
Courtesy UK Athletics.
