UK builds big lead, then holds off Auburn. Key player’s return to lineup gets it done.
Monday night marked the triumphant return of a key veteran for the University of Kentucky women’s basketball team.
Junior forward KeKe McKinney came off the bench and matched her career high with 13 points as the 13th-ranked Wildcats held on to knock off Auburn, 68-61, in Memorial Coliseum.
McKinney missed the previous four games because of recurring migraine-type headaches. She got a nice round of applause from fans when she entered the game at the 6:20 mark of the first quarter. She got another when she hit a jumper from the baseline for her first points.
McKinney made all six of her shots and grabbed eight rebounds in 29 minutes. Kentucky (16-3, 5-2 SEC) led 44-28 at halftime. Junior forward Unique Thompson scored a game-high 27 for Auburn (7-11, 1-6).
Auburn went on an 11-0 run in the third quarter and eventually tied the game 51-51. McKinney put the Cats back up two with a rebound and layup, then hit a three to make it 59-51.
There was a scary moment for the Cats when Rhyne Howard left the game with about three minutes left in the third quarter after attempting to force a held-ball. She left the court favoring her left hand and went to the locker room, clearly in pain.
Howard returned to the bench early in the fourth quarter with two fingers taped together and re-entered the game with five minutes left. She hit a tough left-handed shot in traffic to put UK up 61-58.
Howard went to the foul line with 30 seconds left. Amanda Paschal tied her shoe for her, much to the crowd’s delight, then Howard hit two free throws to make it 65-61 Kentucky. She iced the game with another free throw, followed by a block. Howard finished with 10 points, five rebounds and four assists.
Next game
No. 13 Kentucky at Missouri
7 p.m. Thursday (SEC Network)
This story was originally published January 27, 2020 at 9:08 PM.
