UK women’s basketball improves to 3-0 with Walker and Benton leading the way

Jada Walker tied a career high with 21 points and Robyn Benton added 19 more as the Kentucky women’s basketball team improved to 3-0 with a 79-53 victory against Coastal Carolina on Sunday afternoon at Memorial Coliseum.

Walker, a sophomore guard, also had 10 assists (another career high), five steals and three rebounds and made all three of her three-point attempts. Benton, a graduate guard, was 7-for-8 from the free-throw line and also had five rebounds, four steals, two assists and two blocked shots.

Kentucky’s defense forced 32 turnovers, which the Cats turned into 27 points. The Chanticleers were held to 31.5% from the field.

“You know, I was so proud, I told the players of our defensive intensity and energy today, that’s more what I’m looking for,” head coach Kyra Elzy said. “Jada Walker, Robyn Benton, set the tone for us defensively. I was happy to see us flying around loose balls, taking charges, and we generated 27 points from our turnovers so we didn’t put as much pressure on our offense.”

It was the Cats’ third game in the last seven days, following an 82-78 win against Radford on Monday and a 73-48 defeat of Morehead State on Friday. Walker is averaging 14.0 points, 5.3 assists and 3.3 steals while Benton is contributing 15.7 points and 3.7 steals.

“Jada played a majority of the point today and she had a phenomenal game,” Elzy said. “I thought she was aggressive, I thought she was poised.”

Blair Green, a graduate guard, joined Walker and Benton in double figures in scoring Sunday with 10. She’s averaging 10.7 points.

The Chanticleers (0-2) were led in scoring by Angie Juste-Jean (14) and B’Aunce Carter (12).

Walker’s star performance came after scoring just two points in the Cats’ win against Morehead State.

“This game was definitely a chance to rebound,” she said. “I feel like I could’ve played better two days ago, so just to come back today and play even better. And the fact that I got beat up last game, so just being tougher and pushing through.”

The Cats closed the first half on a 9-0 run and led 43-23 at the break. Walker scored 14 first-half points to go with five assists and Benton added 13 more first-half points even as UK struggled early from long range (1-for-8). The Cats made up for that a bit by going 10-for-12 at the free-throw line.

The Cats outscored the Chanticleers 30-16 in the third quarter to put the game away.

“Well, the coaches they preach to us like don’t go out there playing around,” Benton said. “Third quarters are like one of the most important quarters of the game and just keep going and start fast.”

It was the first all-time meeting between the Cats and Coastal Carolina. The Chanticleers lost their season opener 78-61 at Georgia.

Kentucky, unranked to start the season, has a lot to prove after its run to the SEC Tournament championship — and early NCAA Tournament exit — last season. ESPN’s Bracketology has the Cats as one of the first four teams out of the field as of its most recent update.

“We have gotten better,” Elzy said. “You know, I talked to our players, they’re so competitive and they want everything right now big picture. We’re not going to be playing our best basketball right now, and I told them, we’re not looking for perfection but I am looking for progression every game. So, we took a step forward from game one to two, two to three, so if we keep progressing we are going to be a very special basketball team.”

Up next is a home game against Bellarmine on Thursday before the Cats head to the Bahamas for a pair of games in the Baha Mar Hoops Pink Flamingo Championship against Virginia Tech (Nov. 21) and Dayton (Nov. 23). Virginia Tech is a three-seed in ESPN’s Bracketology.

Next game

Bellarmine at Kentucky

When: 7 p.m. Thursday

TV: SEC Network Plus (online only)

This story was originally published November 13, 2022 at 3:21 PM.