Tennessee goes wire-to-wire as Kentucky women’s basketball falls on Senior Day
Senior Day is supposed to be a time for reflection and celebration. On Sunday, the Kentucky women’s basketball team’s Senior Day was memorable for a variety of reasons.
The Wildcats honored and celebrated Adebola Adeyeye, Robyn Benton and Blair Green, and Memorial Coliseum was packed with fans. And then the Wildcats got ripped apart 83-63 by Tennessee.
Tennessee, fresh off a 13-point home loss to South Carolina, played like a team with something to prove. And, unfortunately for the Wildcats, there was no stopping the Volunteers.
Tennessee opened on a 7-0 run, every point scored by Karoline Striplin. When her teammates joined in, Kentucky had no answers. On a day filled with UK scoring droughts, the Cats didn’t make a single shot until Maddie Scherr broke through with 5:31 remaining in the first period.
Tennessee’s defense swarmed the undersized and outmatched Wildcats starters, easily getting out to a 17-2 lead with under five minutes to go in the quarter.
Kentucky has struggled offensively as of late, and that continued. UK head coach Kyra Elzy has said that her team has allowed for its offense to affect its defense. And, though UK did manage a 10-2 run and forced four turnovers late in the quarter, no glimpses of rhythm could be sustained.
“We really talked about attacking the paint,” Elzy said of the run. “Playing off two feet, get there and if you do not have the shot, make the defense sub and pass out for an open shot or go up on balance. We tried to mix up our defense, we went man and zone and then we talked about attacking out of the ball screen. I think we got some great looks when we went downhill off the ball screen.”
By the second half, there wasn’t much fight left. UK’s lack of depth, combined on Sunday with the absence of Kennedy Cambridge (illness), continued to deliver the same result as it most often does.
Kentucky’s lack of a tall and effective post player was especially noticeable against Tennessee. Only five players on the Volunteers’ roster are below 6-foot tall, and only two of those received meaningful minutes. It was another day where the height of Nyah Leveretter and Tionna Herron, both sidelined, was sorely missed.
Tennessee outrebounded Kentucky 43-27.
Adeyeye fouled out of the final regular-season game of her collegiate career with 5:19 remaining in the final period. She was given a standing ovation. She finished with five points.
Benton also fouled out, earning her final personal foul while trying to block a shot with 1:29 remaining. After flexing in front of the TV cameras, she, too, was given a standing ovation. She finished with 17 points.
“I went out the way I wanted to go out,” Benton laughed. “In the black uniforms, my Jordan socks, my Kobe shoes, my hair slicked back. I went out guns blazing, and I’ll have some memories in Memorial that I’ll never forget. I’m just thankful and grateful that I had this moment.”
Green, held scoreless, was also given a standing ovation upon her final exit from the game.
Emma King, as well as freshmen Amiya Jenkins, Cassidy Rowe, Zennia Thomas and Saniah Tyler, finished the game for the Wildcats, giving fans a taste of the future of this program.
Scherr led the Wildcats in scoring with 27 points. It was the fourth time she has set a career high for points this season. Her previous personal best of 25 points came at home on Jan. 12 against No. 1 South Carolina.
Four Volunteers — Rickea Jackson (21 points), Jillian Hollingshead (15), Striplin (12) and Jordan Walker (10) — scored in double figures.
“We’re not quitting,” Elzy said. “That’s not a part of our DNA, that’s not what this program is made of. It is a rough time in Kentucky women’s basketball, there is no mistake about it, but this program is built to last. We are going to continue to fight and prepare and sell out on the floor until it’s over. It’s not over yet, so until then we will continue to fight and continue to work. I’ve been through tough times at Kentucky. This will not be the first, this will not be the last, but we will find a way from here. We’ve always been resilient, and this will be no different.”
With the postseason looming in the form of the SEC Tournament’s start on Wednesday, UK will have to rely on upset victories to keep its season alive. Last season, UK won four games straight to win its first SEC Tournament since 1982.
“You talk to them about the resiliency that team had,” Elzy said. “Obviously, that was a magical run and I don’t want to put that type of pressure on them, but our goal right now is 1-0. We’re focusing on the one game in front of us and that’s all we can do. One game at a time.”
Next game
Kentucky vs. Florida
What: First round of SEC Tournament
When: 1:30 p.m. Wednesday
TV: SEC Network
Radio: WLAP-AM 630
Seeding: Kentucky 14th; Florida 11th
Records: Kentucky 10-18 (2-14 SEC); Florida 16-13 (5-11)
Series: Kentucky leads 35-27
Last meeting: Kentucky won 81-75 on Jan. 15 in Gainesville, Fla.
This story was originally published February 26, 2023 at 4:25 PM.
