Miami hands UK women’s team its second straight loss in Florida

Maci Morris scored 18 points and Alyssa Rice added 11 points and a career-high 12 rebounds, but the 20th-ranked Kentucky women’s basketball team lost at Miami (Fla.) 65-54 on Sunday afternoon in Coral Gables, Fla.

No other Wildcat reached double figures, although Taylor Murray had eight points and eight rebounds for Kentucky. The Wildcats hit 20 of their 63 shots (31.7 percent) from the floor, including five of 19 (26.3 percent) from behind the arc.

Kentucky (8-3) held the lead for much of the first half, but the Wildcats were outscored 42-24 in the second half.

“We will take some time this week and look at everything and find out how we can get better,” said Mitchell, whose team also lost 70-64 at Florida Gulf Coast on Friday night. “We have to learn from this.”

The first period was tight throughout, with three ties and three lead changes. But it was Kentucky that gained the slightest bit of separation late in the near the end of the period as Morris hit a three-pointer to give the Cats an 18-14 lead. That would be the score after the first period, which saw Kentucky score seven points off of three Miami turnovers. Rice led the Cats with eight points in the period.

In the second period, both teams struggled from the floor. Kentucky hit just two of its first nine shots, while Miami (6-3) made just one of its first 10. The Wildcats were able to extend the lead to as many as seven, 22-15 before Miami went on an 8-4 run to cut the lead to 26-23. The Wildcats would score the last four points of the half and would take a 30-23 lead into the half.

Miami caught fire in the third period, hitting nine of 12 from the field to start the quarter, while Kentucky hit just three of its first nine. In the process, Miami tied the game 35-35 and eventually took the lead 39-38. Miami extended its lead to as many as five, and the Hurricanes would lead 51-48 after three periods. Morris had five points in the quarter for Kentucky and Murray had four.

“We just had a disastrous third quarter defensively,” Mitchell said. “It’s 100 percent my fault we aren’t good defensively. Gave up way too many fast-break points and that’s a hustle indicator.”

In the fourth quarter, both teams again struggled from the floor, with Kentucky hitting one if its first eight shots, while Miami hit two of its first eight chances. Miami would lead 55-48 before Kentucky scored four straight to cut the deficit to 55-52, but the Wildcats were unable to get any closer.

Erykah Davenport and Shaneese Bailey made key plays back-to-back late in the game and four players scored in double figures as a balanced Miami upset the No. 20 Kentucky women 65-54 on Sunday, handing the Wildcats a second loss in as many games.

Kentucky (8-3) was coming off a 70-64 loss at Florida Gulf Coast on Friday.

Miami’s Erykah Davenport finished with 12 points and 12 rebounds, her third double-double this season, and blocked three shots. Endia Banks had 13 points and eight assists, and Mykea Gray added 12 points.

This story was originally published December 10, 2017 at 4:26 PM with the headline "Miami hands UK women’s team its second straight loss in Florida."