Kentucky WBB loses 74-67 to Texas A&M in battle of the bottom of the conference
Kentucky women’s basketball has slipped to the very bottom of the SEC.
After falling to Texas A&M (7-18; 2-13 SEC) in an underwhelming 74-67 loss on Thursday evening, the Wildcats now sit in last place in the conference standings. Kentucky (10-17; 2-13 SEC) has lost six games in a row by an average margin of 14.3 points per game.
The Cats had fewer excuses tonight than in recent contests. The team returned Maddie Scherr and Ajae Petty from their absences in its previous loss. However, the team was still without freshmen Kennedy Cambridge (illness) and, obviously, Nyah Leveretter (torn ACL).
Robyn Benton wasn’t injured last game, but she missed the fourth quarter after being ejected following a missed call. As punishment, head coach Kyra Elzy did not start her leading scorer. Benton wasn’t bothered. The 5-foot-7 guard led Kentucky with 21 points while shooting 8-15 (53.3%) from the field and 4-8 (50%) from beyond the arc.
Benton’s golden performance wasn’t enough to save the Wildcats’ rocky night. The team shot 25-61 (41%) from the field and 9-24 (38%) from downtown. While the Cats led this one for nearly three and a half minutes, they never felt in charge.
Foul trouble falls on Kentucky
The numbers on the scoreboard were just one of Kentucky’s concerns in the first period. Before completing the opening frame, both Blair Green and Adebola Adeyeye headed to the bench with two fouls. Luckily for the Cats, they weren’t the only ones battling the referees.
Texas A&M leading scorer Janiah Barker headed to the bench with two fouls with three minutes left in the first quarter. Despite the loss, the Aggies closed the period on a 6-0 run to take a 21-16 lead into the second period. With Barker scared to foul, Kentucky forward Ajae Petty went to work down low.
The 6-foot-3 junior led Kentucky with eight points and five rebounds in the first half. For reference, Petty had not scored eight points in a game since Dec. 21, 2022. Although Barker’s defense was limited by her fouls, her offense was not.
The Texas A&M big dominated the second quarter, going on a solo 9-0 run at one point. Thankfully for UK, Barker wasn’t the only star shining. Fueled by her new bench role, Benton dropped eight points in the second frame. Nonetheless, the Aggies remained ahead 36-30 at the halftime break.
Cats can’t claw away at the Aggies’ lead
Evidently, all the Aggies needed was a 20-minute rest. Texas A&M ran off six unanswered points early in the third quarter. To add insult to injury, Petty and Adeyeye both headed to the all-too-familiar sideline with more foul trouble.
Out of options, Elzy subbed in freshman Zennia Thomas. The 6-foot-2 forward received her first legitimate SEC minutes just four days earlier against Vanderbilt. The experience wasn’t enough. Texas A&M went on another 6-0 scoring streak to snag a 55-45 lead at the end of the third quarter.
The fourth quarter wasn’t a Cinderella story. There were no magical comebacks and no mind-blowing plot twists. In reality, the final 10 minutes of the game were simply predictable. Kentucky fought hard, every once in a while seeing a glimmer of hope.
Maddie Scherr propelled the team forward, scoring 13 points in the fourth quarter alone. The Cats put on a press with four minutes to go. But, in the end, they could not break the Aggies’ vice grip on the lead. Texas A&M picked up its second conference win of the season with a 74-67 triumph.
The paint is where Kentucky lost the game. The Aggies outrebounded Kentucky 46-29, doubled Kentucky’s offensive board total and dropped 38 paint points. UK had more bench points, fewer turnovers, and shot better from the stripe. But, those five feet around the rim are where battles are won.
Scherr and Petty were the only Cats to score double figures besides Benton. Scherr recorded 18 points while shooting 5-12 from the field. The 5-foot-11 guard added six assists, as well. As for Petty, the LSU transfer went for 10 points and seven rebounds on 4-6 shooting.
Kentucky’s final game of the season won’t be an easy one. The Cats will celebrate their Senior Night by taking on the Tennessee Volunteers at 2 p.m. on Sunday in Memorial Coliseum. The game will be broadcast on the SEC Network.
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