RECAP: No. 20 Kentucky WBB starts win streak with victory over La Salle
After Kentucky Women’s Basketball’s stunning loss to No. 4 Indiana two weeks ago, one tally back in the win column was a good start. Two tallies is now a streak.
On Saturday night, the No. 22 Wildcats (4-1) defeated the La Salle Explorers (3-3) 74-52 for their second win in a row. The contest is Kentucky’s fourth victory at home this season. UK will need that streak to continue as they play host to No. 22 West Virginia in Memorial Coliseum on Wednesday night.
But before we look ahead, let’s reflect on last night’s contest.
Dre’Una Edwards had an excellent night. The redshirt junior forward dropped a double-double, recording 22 points and 11 rebounds. Further, Edwards was extremely efficient. Edwards shot 8/11 from the field and 4/4 from the free-throw line.
As a team, the Wildcats shot 44% from the field and 66% from the stripe. On a better note, UK made a respectable 42% of their 3-point attempts. In comparison, La Salle shot a poor 29% from the field.
The score doesn’t reflect it, but last night’s game was a battle. While Kentucky was always in control, La Salle was always within striking distance. The Explorers refused to go away and, for much of the night, the ‘Cats didn’t do anything about it.
Jada Walker makes impact early
From the tip, La Salle was pesky. The Explorers stuck with UK for most of the opening quarter. It wasn’t until freshman Jada Walker subbed in that Kentucky went on an 8-0 run to take a 27-14 lead heading into the second period.
Of course, Walker being a spark plug for the ‘Cats is nothing new. The 5-foot-7 guard has been a standout player this season. She’s scoring the fourth-most on the team with an average of 11 points per game. Second-year head coach Kyra Elzy knows how vital it is to have a dynamic presence like Walker on her squad.
“An energizer bunny,” Elzy said about Walker after Saturday night’s contest. “She’s a student of the game. She comes in. She watches film. She’s coachable, and right now she’s still trying to learn the intricate details of our offense and still scoring, so imagine when she understands what’s going on.”
A scary thought for any of Kentucky’s upcoming opponents. Nonetheless, Walker can only help the ‘Cats in so many areas. Due to her height, rebounding isn’t one of them.
Rebounding problems for Kentucky WBB keeps game close
Though the rebounding total finished even between the two teams, the Explorers felt dominant on the glass. La Salle had 16 offensive boards compared to Kentucky’s 11. Consequently, La Salle tripled Kentucky’s second-chance points.
Rebounding issues kept the game tight heading into the final period. In both the second and third quarters, La Salle cut Kentucky’s lead down to two points. The ‘Cats went into the final frame only leading by nine.
When asking Rhyne Howard what the team needs to improve upon before their next matchup, she responded with two simple words.
“Boxing out.”
Kentucky WBB defense secures win
While Kentucky struggled in some aspects, they took big steps forward in other areas. Specifically, UK’s defense looked nearly impenetrable at times. Causing multiple scoring droughts for La Salle throughout the night, the Wildcats’ defense made up for their stagnant offense.
A key to this defensive assault was its focus on constant pressure. From the rip, Kentucky was in a full-court press. Whether a guard or a big, Elzy expects her players to pick up 94 feet. As a result, Kentucky forced 17 La Salle turnovers and scored 14 points off their mistakes. Elzy was seemingly satisfied with these results.
“We took a step forward defensively tonight,” Elzy said. “There was a time in the game where we forced back-to-back shot-clock violations and got our hands on some balls. We had some great help. Obviously, we can continue to grow but I thought we have taken a step forward from the last couple of weeks defensively.”
Though the ‘Cats struggled to put the nails in La Salle’s coffin during the second and third period, the final frame was the Explorers’ funeral. Kentucky outscored La Salle 18-5 in the final 10 minutes of the game to win 74-52.
Though Edwards led the way for the ‘Cats, she wasn’t the only star of the show. Robyn Benton recorded 17 points and seven rebounds, both season-highs. Furthermore, the senior guard shot a perfect 3/3 from beyond the arc.
Rhyne Howard added 16 points of her own. Jazmine Massengill’s team-high seven assists served as the fuel for Kentucky’s offensive fire.
Looking toward next game
La Salle was an excellent appetizer leading up to Kentucky’s entree of No. 22 West Virginia. If Kentucky can mend rebounding issues and continue to have several players in double digits, the matchup should be a tasty victory for the ‘Cats.
On Dec. 1, Kentucky Women’s Basketball will tip-off at 7 p.m. ET in Memorial Coliseum against West Virginia. The game will be broadcast on SEC Network+.
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