Kentucky women struggle in SEC opener at No. 4 South Carolina. See what went wrong.
It was an ugly start to Southeastern Conference play for the University of Kentucky women’s basketball team Thursday night. Playing their first game in nearly two weeks, the 13th-ranked Wildcats were pounded by No. 4 South Carolina, 99-72, in Columbia, S.C.
The Gamecocks had the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation this season according to ESPN’s class rankings, and in Thursday’s rout of the Wildcats they showed why. Three freshmen started for South Carolina and each topped double-digit scoring. Zia Cooke and Brea Beal led the way with 15 points each while Aliyah Boston added 14 points and a team-high six rebounds. Another freshman, Laeticia Amihere, came off the bench to score 14.
South Carolina (13-1) jumped all over the Cats early, using an 8-0 run capped by Beal’s second bucket of the game to go ahead 11-2. In the second quarter, Beal finished a 12-2 run with a mid-range jumper, stretching the lead to 43-21 and prompting a UK timeout. The Gamecocks led 49-28 at halftime.
Rhyne Howard did her part to keep Kentucky (11-2) in it, scoring 13 of her 28 points in the first half. But the sophomore star got little help on the offensive end. Chasity Patterson came off the bench to score eight first-half points, knocking down three of six shots from the field and both of her free throws. But KeKe McKinney’s jumper with 5:57 left in the half accounted for the first UK points scored by someone other than Howard or Patterson.
Howard made eight of 17 shots from the field and grabbed six rebounds, but turned the ball over six times.
Playing in her second game after becoming eligible, Patterson finished with 15 points. The transfer from Texas added three steals and two assists. Halfway through the third quarter she hit back-to-back shots, the second a three-pointer to cut the deficit to 61-42.
Kentucky has overwhelmed many opponents with a swarming, pressing defense this season but they were unable to rattle Gamecocks. South Carolina shot 61 percent from the field. The Gamecocks were also able to exploit a decisive size advantage in the post, thanks in large part to the 6-foot-5 Boston. South Carolina outscored UK in the paint 60 points to 24 and won the rebound battle 40-20.
The Cats host No. 22 Tennessee in Memorial Coliseum on Sunday in the only regular-season meeting between the teams. Tennessee (11-2) beat Missouri, 77-66, on Thursday.
Next game
No. 22 Tennessee at No. 13 Kentucky
4 p.m. Sunday (ESPN2)
