Kentucky WBB picks up first SEC win in 81-75 triumph over Florida
It’s been a long 25 days, but Kentucky Women’s Basketball is back in the win column.
On Sunday afternoon, the Wildcats (9-9; 1-5) pulled out an 81-75 barnburner against the Florida Gators (12-6; 1-4) down in Gainesville. The win breaks a five-game losing streak for the ‘Cats, who had lost back-to-back contests to No. 5 LSU and No. 1 South Carolina.
Robyn Benton was the hero for the ‘Cats, tying her career-high with 29 points on 9-19 shooting. Additionally, the 5-foot-9 guard shot a perfect 10-10 from the free-throw line. Benton dropped 17 points in the fourth quarter alone.
Although Benton was Kentucky’s hero, the team was full of impressive sidekicks. As a whole, the ‘Cats shot 28-70 (40%) from the field and 23-28 (82%) from the charity stripe. UK had three ‘Cats score 15 points or more in the vital win. The Wildcats’ sense of urgency was evident from the start.
Kentucky digs itself a hole
While Florida doesn’t have the talent of No. 5 LSU or No. 1 South Carolina, they have the speed. Thankfully for the ‘Cats, they love to play fast. Both teams began the game in full-court presses. Kentucky’s pressure was successful, forcing 11 first-half turnovers for Florida.
When UK didn’t turn the Gators over, it struggled. The Wildcats gave Florida 10 free-throw attempts in the first frame, of which the Gators made eight. Nonetheless, fouls were the least of Kentucky’s troubles. The team shot a horrid 4-17 from the field in the first quarter, leading to an 18-10 deficit heading into the second period.
Things got worse for Kentucky before they got better. Florida guard KK Deans made the scoreboard look like an arcade machine early in the second quarter. In two minutes, Dean drained four 3-pointers without missing, giving the Gators a 30-14 lead.
But Kentucky didn’t travel 650 miles to give up in the first half. UK retaliated with a 13-2 run of its own. The Gators were helpless… Until the referees stepped into the picture with two minutes remaining in the first half.
The umpires paused the game for nearly five minutes to discuss a play where Deans ran into Kennedy Cambridge’s elbow. Of course, UK received the intentional foul. Despite the setback, Kentucky bounced into the break only down 36-30.
‘Cats claw their way out
Perhaps the break was exactly what Kentucky needed because the team came out with a new energy. For every Florida free throw, Kentucky dropped in a down-low finish. With 1:17 left in the third period, Kentucky took their first lead of the game.
Kentucky’s big three of Maddie Scherr, Jada Walker and Benton were the sled dogs pulling UK along. The backcourt trio recorded 19 points on 6-14 shooting in the third quarter alone. If the third period was nail-biting, the fourth quarter was heart-stopping.
The ‘Cats rattled off seven unanswered points early in the quarter, capped off by a mean Benton and-one. However, things became hairy when Kentucky picked up a fifth foul not even halfway through the fourth; For the final six minutes of the game, Florida was in the bonus.
Luckily for the ‘Cats, the Gators struggled to convert, shooting 3-8 from the stripe in the final frame. Kentucky did not reciprocate Florida’s generosity. UK shot a near-perfect 7-8 from the line in the final 10 minutes of the contest.
The pinpoint shooting performance reached its pinnacle when Benton drained four-straight free throws to ice the game. Moreover, the one-time Auburn transfer pointed or talked to the camera before each nail in the coffin. In the end, the ‘Cats came out victorious 81-75.
In the six-point win, Kentucky shot a terrible 2-16 (13%) from downtown. The ‘Cats made up for their perimeter problems down low, scoring 38 points in the paint. Some of these paint points came via the fastbreak. UK recorded 17 steals, the most by any SEC team in a game this season.
Walker trailed just behind Benton, recording 19 points and seven rebounds. Scherr had another fantastic game too, adding 18 points, six rebounds and three assists to the team’s efforts.
Kentucky will have a week off to continue to build upon its recent momentum. The ‘Cats will take on the Mississippi State Bulldogs at 1 p.m. on Jan 22 in Starkville, Mississippi. The game will be broadcast on the SEC Network.
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