Kentucky’s women have lost two in a row. A road trip provides a chance to regroup.
UPDATE: Thursday night’s game at Auburn has been postponed because of COVID-19 protocols.
The University of Kentucky women’s basketball team will look to bounce back from its first losing streak under head coach Kyra Elzy when the Wildcats face Auburn in Alabama on Thursday night.
The Wildcats dropped two spots to No. 12 in the Associated Press Top 25 poll this week following a 17-point loss at No. 7 Texas A&M and a 75-70 setback against No. 5 South Carolina in Lexington.
UK outplayed the defending Southeastern Conference regular-season and tournament champion Gamecocks through two quarters en rout to a nine-point halftime lead. The Cats went cold late as Carolina forged ahead in the fourth quarter yet still had a shot to tie the game with less than 30 seconds to play, but Rhyne Howard’s three-point try came up short.
The Carolina loss ended a brutal four-game stint in which UK’s opponents were all ranked in the top 15. In its first such stretch in program history, Kentucky went 2-2.
In the Tigers, the Cats are set to take on a team that’s had a rough start to the season. Auburn (5-6) has lost four straight games, including its first three SEC contests. The Tigers were beaten by LSU, 56-43, in Baton Rouge then were blown out by Georgia at home (76-44) before falling at Mississippi (62-58).
The Tigers’ scheduled home game against Missouri last Sunday was postponed because of coronavirus protocols. Auburn announced that a combination of positive COVID-19 tests, contact tracing and quarantining of individuals within the program led to the postponement. As of Wednesday afternoon, Thursday’s matchup with Kentucky was still set to take place.
Auburn’s losing streak coincided with the loss of a major weapon. All-SEC senior forward Unique Thompson missed the Tigers’ last three games because of medical issues but was expected to return against Missouri before that game was postponed. Auburn’s only returning starter from last season, Thompson recorded her 1,000th career rebound in a loss to Belmont on Dec. 20 and is the only active player in women’s college hoops with more than 1,000 rebounds. She’s averaging 18.8 points and 15.3 rebounds per game this year.
One of those starters Auburn lost following last season has become a key reserve for Kentucky. Robyn Benton transferred to UK in April after two seasons at Auburn, where she was named to the All-Southeastern Conference Freshman Team then averaged double-digit points as a sophomore. The 5-foot-9 guard from Conyers, Ga., is averaging 8.8 points and 3.3 rebounds per game for the Cats and has repeatedly flashed the ability to hit big shots in crucial moments.
In UK’s thrilling win over then-No. 13 Indiana in December, Hoosiers’ Coach Teri Moren pointed to Benton’s late three-pointer as perhaps the key play that allowed the Cats to complete their comeback from a 14-point deficit.
“That was a huge three that gave them a lot of life,” Moren said.
UK associate head coach Niya Butts, who led the Wildcats against the Hoosiers while Elzy was out with a medical issue, lavished praise on Benton following the win.
“I’m not sure we have enough time to talk about the importance of Robyn Benton,” Butts said. “In all of our games, she has the most timely scores, probably, of any player ... She makes plays when we absolutely have to have them.”
Tickets for Rupp games available
Tickets for UK women’s basketball’s games in Rupp Arena on Jan. 28 against Alabama and Feb. 11 against Tennessee will go on sale beginning Thursday at 10 a.m. through Ticketmaster.com.
The cost is $10 for reserved seating and tickets must be purchased in advance. All fans are required to have a ticket for entry, regardless of age.
UK students can pick up one free ticket per game beginning one hour prior to tip at the Rupp Arena Box Office while supplies last. With limited capacity this season, UK faculty and staff must purchase a ticket for entry. Current season ticket holders will receive preassigned tickets loaded into their My UK Account.
Kentucky vs. Alabama on Thursday, Jan. 28 is scheduled to tip at 6:30 p.m. and can be seen on the SEC Network. The Wildcats and Lady Vols will tip at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 11 and can be streamed on SEC Network Plus through the WatchESPN app (subscription required).
Rupp Arena doors will open one hour prior to tip for both games and parking around Rupp Arena is available for $20. Attendance is limited to 15 percent of normal arena capacity. The UK women are 28-19 all-time in Rupp Arena and have played at least one game there each of the last 10 years.
Thursday
No. 12 Kentucky at Auburn
When: 8:30 p.m. EST
TV: SEC Network
Radio: WLAP-AM 630
Records: UK 9-3 (2-2 SEC); Auburn 5-6 (0-3 SEC)
Series: Kentucky leads 21-19
Last meeting: Kentucky won 68-61 on Jan. 27, 2020, in Memorial Coliseum.
This story was originally published January 13, 2021 at 3:20 PM.
