Jan. 8, 2012

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Team Records and Series Notes

• Kentucky improves to 14-2, 3-0 SEC, while Mississippi State falls to 10-5, 0-2 SEC.
  • It is the first time UK has started conference play 3-0 since the 1992-93 season.
  • In 30 years of SEC play, this marks just the fourth time UK has started the conference season at 3-0 (1992-93, 1984-85, 1982-83).
• Kentucky is 20-17 against Mississippi State all-time and 9-8 when the game is played in Lexington.
  • UK head coach Matthew Mitchell is 5-2 against the Bulldogs, and 5-1 against Mississippi State as Kentucky’s head coach.
  • Kentucky now has a four-game winning streak against Mississippi State.
• Coach Matthew Mitchell is 130-80 overall and 100-51 at UK.
  • Mitchell is just the third coach in UK Hoops history to record 100 wins.
  • Mitchell is the second fastest coach in UK Hoops history to reach 100 victories, doing so in 151 games.
• Kentucky is 642-466 in 38 years of varsity play.
  • The Wildcats are 135-213 all-time in SEC play, and 38-25 under the direction of Mitchell.
  • UK is 23-9 in SEC home games under Mitchell, including 16-2 over the last three seasons.
• UK is 42-2 in Lexington over the past three seasons.
  • UK is 351-140 (.715) at Memorial Coliseum, including 61-12 (.836) under Mitchell.
  • Kentucky’s current 14-game home winning streak is tied for the fourth longest in program history.
• Kentucky plays again Thursday, Jan. 12 at 7 p.m. ET against Tennessee at Memorial Coliseum. The game will be televised by FSN.

First Half Notes

• Kentucky used the starting lineup of Amber Smith, A’dia Mathies, Bria Goss, Kastine Evans and Brittany Henderson. UK is 4-0 with this lineup.
  • UK has started a freshman in 119-of-151 games in the Matthew Mitchell era, including 86 straight.
• Kentucky forced Mississippi State into seven turnovers on the Bulldogs’ opening nine possessions.
• UK opened the game on a 9-0 run, and held MSU scoreless until the 16:27 mark.
• UK held Miss. St. without a field goal for 8:19 spanning from the 14:50 mark to the 6:31.
  • The Wildcats went on a 24-5 run during that time.
• Kentucky held a 25-14 advantage in rebounds at the halftime break, including a 13-6 advantage in offensive rebounds.
• The Wildcats outscored MSU 26-5 in points off turnovers in the first half and 14-2 in second-chance points.
• Kentucky hit eight 3-pointers in the first half, a season high for 3-point field goals made in a half.
• Kentucky led 50-21 heading into the locker room.
  • It is the third time this season Kentucky has scored 50 points or more in the opening half.
  • The Wildcats are 12-0 this season when leading or tied at the half.

Second Half Notes

• The UK perimeter defense held MSU to just one 3-point field goal attempt in the second half.
• UK outscored Mississippi State 14-0 in points off turnovers in the second half.
• Kentucky led comfortably throughout the second half.

Team/Game Notes

• Kentucky’s 48-point margin of victory is its largest in an SEC game in program history, breaking the previous record of +31 set last season vs. Auburn on Feb. 3, 2011 (69-38).
• Kentucky 48-point margin of victory is its largest over an SEC opponent in program history, breaking the previous record of +36 set Dec. 31, 1981 vs. Florida (97-61), when the SEC did not have women’s basketball.
• Kentucky’s 14 made 3-pointers are a new program record, breaking the previous record of 13 set Dec. 1, 1994 vs. Detroit.
  • With 14 made 3-pointers, UK extended its streak of consecutive games with a triple to 273.
  • It is the fifth time this season UK has hit 10 or more 3-pointers.
• Keyla Snowden (22) and A’dia Mathies (20) each scored over 20 points. It is the first time two players scored 20 or more points in a game since Feb. 7, 2010 vs. Arkansas.
• Kentucky forced 29 turnovers in the game.
  • UK has forced double-digit miscues in 98 consecutive games. The Cats are 71-27 during that span.
  • Kentucky has forced an SEC-high 498 turnovers this season (31.1 per game).
  • Kentucky has forced at least 10 turnovers in 29 of 32 halves this season.
  • Kentucky outscored Mississippi State 40-5 in points off turnovers.
• Kentucky is 35-2 under Matthew Mitchell when scoring 80 or more points.
• Kentucky’s bench outscored Mississippi State’s bench 46-13.
  • The Wildcats are 13-1 when its bench outscores the opponent’s bench.
• Kentucky won the turnover battle 29-12 (+17).
• UK had 10 steals on the afternoon. The Wildcats have recorded double-digit steals in 14 of 16 games this season.
• The Wildcats outrebounded Mississippi State 51-34.
  • Kentucky’s 51 rebounds are the third most this season.
  • Kentucky’s +17 rebounding advantage is tied for the second largest this season.
  • UK has won or tied the rebounding battle in 12 of 16 games.
• Ten of the 12 Wildcats who played scored.
  • Four Wildcats reached double figures in scoring.
• Only two Mississippi State players scored more than four points.
• Attendance was 5,306.

Individual Notes

• Senior guard Keyla Snowden scored a season- and team-high 22 points, including four 3-pointers.
  • It is the fourth time this season that Snowden has hit four 3-pointers in a game.
  • Snowden has hit four or more 3-pointers in a game 16 times in her career.
• Junior guard A’dia Mathies scored 21 points for the second straight game, knocking down three 3-pointers and grabbing five boards.
  • Mathies has reached double figures in scoring in 13 of 15 games played this season.
  • Mathies now has 14 20-point games in her career, and six this season.
  • Mathies’ 21 points give her 1,167 points for her career. She is three points shy of tying Jocelyn Mills at No. 20 on the UK all-time scoring list.
  • Mathies had one steal, giving her 215 for her career. Mathies is now nine shy of tying Sandy Harding at No. 8 on the all-time steals list.
  • Mathies is 20-35 (.571) from beyond the arc over her last eight games.
• Freshman guard Bria Goss scored 13 points, including a career-high tying three 3-pointers for the second straight game, to go with four rebounds and three steals.
  • Goss is 6-7 from beyond the arc over the last two games.
  • Goss has reached double figures in scoring in 14 of 16 games this season, including seven in a row.
• Sophomore guard Bernisha Pinkett scored 10 points. It is her first double-digit scoring game since scoring 11 against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Dec. 11.
• Senior guard Amber Smith passed out a team-high three assists and had zero turnovers.
  • Smith’s three assists give her 391 career assists, and pushes her to within nine of Rita Adams at No. 6 on the all-time assists list.
• Sophomore forward Samarie Walker grabbed a team-high seven rebounds, blocked two shots and had three steals.