Clara Strack erupts for 27 PTS, 12 REBS and four BLKS as Kentucky beats Buffalo 81-47 in her homecoming game

by: Phoenix Stevens2 hours agoPStevensKSR

clara-strack-goes-off-for-as-kentucky-beats-buffalo-in-her-homecoming-game — Photo of Kentucky center Clara Strack by UK Athletics

The Buffalo game has long been circled on the calendar as the Clara Strack homecoming game. The Hamburg (NY) alum was a star there, holding the records for most points in a game — male or female (47 as a junior), most points in a season (637 as a junior) and most career points —male or female (1,775). Of course, that’s sweet and all, but at the end of the day, Kentucky had a ball game to go win against the reigning WNIT champs.

Kentucky got it done, fortunately, beating Buffalo 81-47 in their first road contest of the season. Strack would finish with a career-high 27 points, also recording 12 rebounds and four blocks along the way. The Cats are 3-0 in back-to-back seasons for the first time since ’19-’20 and ’20-’21.

Buffalo came out with great energy, and if it weren’t for that, this one would have been over after the first quarter. Kentucky’s size was clearly hard for the Bulls to overcome on both ends of the floor. Through the first 10 minutes of play, Buffalo was just 4-17 (24%) from the field. It was 19-8 Cats heading into the second quarter. Again, Kentucky came out ready to go defensively.

Strack certainly came ready to play too, recording team-highs in points (12), rebounds (5) and blocks (2) in the first half alone. Kentucky’s three-point shooting was off again against Buffalo, but they got their work done inside the arc to get out to a 37-17 lead at the half. Teonni Key had eight points and seven boards at the break as well.

Two things were very clear against Buffalo: one, Kentucky’s offense just wasn’t firing on all cylinders like it was against Monmouth. Of course, it was going to be hard for them to replicate a 17-36 from deep performance, but going 5-19 (17%) overall from deep is quite the cool down.

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Then, it was clear that it was going to be Strack’s day. Last season, we saw Teonni Key’s return to North Carolina, and she had one of her worst games of the season it was a really deflating loss in the SEC/ACC Challenge. Buffalo (obviously) isn’t North Carolina, but it was good to see Strack not be too affected mentally or emotionally heading into this one.

Again, the defense remains elite. When you block 11 total shots, that’s always going to be good. Maybe that will be the identity of this team — having elite defense and having off and on offense. However, they should get better on that end of the floor as the season progresses. It’s always good when you blow out a team and come away wanting more.

On Wednesday, Kentucky returns back home as they host USC Upstate, who they beat 98-43 in last year’s season opener. That game is set to begin at 6:30 p.m. on SEC Network+.