RECAP: Kentucky WBB falls in 78-69 shootout to No. 12 LSU
Kentucky Women’s Basketball has lost six of its last seven games.
On Sunday afternoon, the Wildcats fell 78-69 in a barnburner to No. 12 LSU. The loss drops Kentucky’s conference record to 2-6. Although the outcome wasn’t what UK was hoping for, the team showed significant improvement from the loss to Vanderbilt on Thursday.
Kentucky can attribute the team’s development to roster changes. Redshirt junior Dre’Una Edward played for the first time since facing Tennessee on Jan. 16. Additionally, Treasure Hunt returned after missing the last game due to a hip injury.
Of course, Kentucky’s luck couldn’t be that good. The ‘Cats were still missing Robyn Benton due to an injury she suffered on Jan. 20 against Florida. To pile on, Jazmine Massengill was in concussion protocol after hitting her head on Thursday night against Vanderbilt.
As expected, Rhyne Howard led the ‘Cats. The All-American recorded 23 points and 12 rebounds. Howard’s scoring effort put her second on Kentucky WBB’s all-time scoring list.
This is Howard’s fourth double-double in the past five games. Howard was 9-19 from the field and 1-7 from beyond the arc.
As a team, Kentucky shot well. The ‘Cats went 27-54 (50%) from the field and 7-17 (41%) from 3-point range. This is the first time Kentucky has shot 50% or above from the field since they defeated Georgia on Jan. 6.
Although Kentucky’s performance was promising, LSU couldn’t let them leave with a win. Here’s how the Tigers pounced on the ‘Cats.
Jada Walker catches fire early
Jada Walker woke up feeling dangerous. The freshman guard led the ‘Cats early with nine first-quarter points. Moreover, Walker was perfect from the field and free-throw line in the period.
Head coach Kyra Elzy spoke on Walker’s noteworthy performance after the game.
“Jada Walker stepped up to the challenge. I thought she played hard for 40 minutes,” Elzy said during the postgame press conference. “She was tough. She got us in our offense.”
Walker’s impressive performance wasn’t even the biggest story for the ‘Cats in the first period. Edwards checked into the game with 6:41 left in the frame. It was the first time the redshirt junior had played for UK since Jan. 16.
Despite the two pleasant surprises, LSU went into the second frame with a solid 23-17 lead.
Superior second for Kentucky WBB
Jada Walker rode her momentum into the second period. The 5-foot-7 guard had 15 points at halftime, more points than she’s scored in any SEC game this season.
Although Walker can get buckets, she can’t grab boards. LSU snagged nine offensive rebounds in the first half compared to Kentucky’s mere four. Moreover, nearly half of the Tigers’ first-half points were from second-chance opportunities.
Worse, Kentucky was in serious foul trouble. At the half, Walker, Edwards, Nyah Leveretter and Olivia Owens each had two fouls. Despite the ‘Cats’ perilous circumstances, they took control of the game and went into the halftime break leading 34-33.
Rhyne Howard finds some rebounds
LSU shot out of the halftime break like a missile. The Tigers ran off six unanswered points before UK could blink. Nonetheless, when the ‘Cats regained their wits, they went on a 5-0 run of their own.
Once again, Kentucky had an efficient quarter, going 8-13 from the field. The ‘Cats were doing more than just scoring, though. Kentucky hit the boards hard in the third frame.
Specifically, Howard took on the challenge. Just over halfway through the quarter, Howard already secured 10 rebounds and another double-double.
With an Edwards rebound and putback, Kentucky retook the lead with a minute left in the third frame. UK walked into the final period ahead 53-48.
LSU buries Kentucky WBB late
Unfortunately for the ‘Cats, their offensive flow ran dry in the final frame. Meanwhile, LSU went nuclear. The Tigers outscored UK 30-16 in the last 10 minutes of the game.
The Tigers’ jaw-dropping period can be traced back to LSU star Khayla Pointer. The graduate student ignited LSU’s offense with 19 points in the fourth quarter.
Elzy gave props to Pointer.
“Khayla Pointer is one of the best point guards in the league. I thought we did a great job on her early,” Elzy said. “We just didn’t finish the job.”
On the flip side, the ‘Cats shot a poor 5-14 from the field in the final frame. Kentucky put up a valiant effort but, at the end of the day, LSU pulled away with a 78-69 victory.
In what’s becoming a pattern, Kentucky struggled to take care of the ball. The ‘Cats had 19 turnovers compared to just eight assists. Furthermore, UK allowed 14 offensive rebounds while grabbing just nine. Consequently, LSU scored 22 second-chance points.
Rhyne Howard wasn’t the only spectacular player for Kentucky on Sunday. Jada Walker dropped a career-high 21 points on 7-13 shooting from the field. In Edwards’ first game back, she added 10 points and eight rebounds of her own before fouling out.
After a grueling two weeks, Kentucky will finally get a much-needed break. UK has a week to rest before their next game. With two key players still out, they need it.
Kentucky’s next contest will be against Texas A&M on Sunday, Feb. 6 at noon in Memorial Coliseum. The game will be broadcast on ESPN2.
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