UK Hoops defeats Marshall 69-39

[caption id="attachment_232434" align="alignnone" width="704"] (Via @KentuckyWBB)[/caption] UK Hoops defeated Marshall University today 69-39. Marshall hung with the Cats early, UK Hoops only scoring two points off Marshall’s for turnovers early in the first quarter. It was a slow start for the Cats who were 7-of-17 from the floor in the first quarter, ending the quarter with just a one-point lead over MU at 17-16. No. 45, Alyssa Rice, helped UK Hoops find their stride in the second quarter, shooting eight points to give the Cats a 9-0 run. Kentucky’s defense also came out strong in the second quarter, preventing Marshall from scoring for over four minutes, to increase the UK Hoops run to 13-0. MU hit a jumper at the buzzer to bring an end to a 20-0 UK run. The score at halftime was 37-21, with Kentucky holding a 16-point lead. No. 45 Rice scored the first four UK points of the second half, scoring a career-high 14 points in a single game. She increased this to 16 points and 10 rebounds in the third quarter, earning her first career double-double. "She has just come a million miles since the beginning of last year and I am very, very happy for her," Coach Matthew Mitchell said in the post game press conference. Late in the third quarter, Marshall went on an 8-2 run to cut Kentucky’s lead to 47-34, but the Cats responded with a 5-0 run to bring their lead back to 18. No. 24 Taylor Murray scored UK’s last eight points in the third quarter. UK Hoops held a 21-point lead over Marshall, with the score 57-36 at the end of the third quarter. No. 45 Rice ended the game with 19 points and 10 rebounds. UK Hoops won the game 69-39, with a 30-point lead. They are 6-0 for the season.   UK Hoops will be in Waco, Texas to play Baylor University this Thursday, November 30, at 8 pm. The Cats will return to Memorial on Sunday, December 3 at 2 pm to play Tennessee Tech University.