Jan. 5, 2012

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Team Records and Series Notes

• Kentucky improves to 13-2, 2-0 SEC, while Arkansas falls to 11-3, 0-2 SEC.
• Kentucky is 16-13 against Arkansas all-time; and 11-3 when the game is played in Lexington.
  • UK head coach Matthew Mitchell is 6-1 all-time against the Razorbacks
  • Kentucky now has a six-game winning streak against Arkansas.
• Coach Matthew Mitchell is 129-80 overall and 99-51 at UK.
• Kentucky is 641-466 in 38 years of varsity play.
  • The Wildcats are 134-213 all-time in SEC play, and 37-25 under the direction of Mitchell.
  • UK is 22-9 in SEC home games under Mitchell, including 15-2 over the last three seasons.
  • The Cats are 18-12 all-time in SEC home openers, and have won five of their last six.
  • Matthew Mitchell is 4-1 in SEC home openers.
  • Kentucky’s 2-0 start to the SEC season is its best since 2007-08.
• UK is 41-2 in Lexington over the past three seasons.
  • UK is 350-140 (.714) at Memorial Coliseum, including a 60-12 (.833) record under Mitchell.
  • Kentucky’s current 13-game home winning streak is tied for the fifth longest in program history.
• Kentucky plays again Sunday, Jan. 8 at 3:30 p.m. ET against Mississippi State 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 Samarie Walker for the second consecutive game. UK is 2-0 with this lineup.
  • UK has started a freshman in 118-of-150 games in the Matthew Mitchell era, including 85 straight.
• Tied 4-4, UK went on a 6-0 run to take a 10-4 lead they would hold the remainder of the half.
• Kentucky hit seven 3-pointers in the first half, a season high for 3-point field goals made in a half.
• The Wildcats held their largest lead of the half at the 9:32 mark, leading 27-12 (+15).
• Junior guard A’dia Mathies scored all 14 of her first-half points in the opening 8:13 of the game.
• Arkansas’ defense had held three opponents to 40 points or fewer for an entire game prior to UK’s 40 first-half points.
• Kentucky led 40-36 heading into the locker room.
  • The Wildcats are 11-0 this season when leading or tied at the half.

Second Half Notes

• Trailing 55-56 at the 11:50 mark, UK went on a 9-0 run to take a 64-56 lead they would hold the rest of the game.
• Kentucky held Arkansas to just one made field goal in the final 12:18, and zero field goals in the final 8:26 of the game.
• After being outrebounded 15-24 in the first half, the Wildcats outrebounded Arkansas 24-12 in the second half.

Team/Game Notes

• Kentucky forced 19 turnovers in the game.
  • UK has forced double-digit miscues in 97 consecutive games. The Cats are 70-27 during that span.
  • Kentucky has forced an SEC-high 469 turnovers this season (31.3 per game).
  • Kentucky has forced at least 10 turnovers in 27 of 30 halves this season.
  • It was the first time UK turned the ball over more than its opponent this season, and it was also the first time UK did not force at least 22 turnovers.
• Kentucky is 34-2 under Matthew Mitchell when scoring 80 or more points.
• Kentucky’s 84 points scored are the most by an Arkansas opponent this season.
• Kentucky’s bench outscored Arkansas’ bench 38-9.
  • The Wildcats are 12-1 when its bench outscores the opponent’s bench.
• The Wildcats outrebounded Arkansas 39-36.
  • UK has won or tied the rebounding battle in 11 of 15 games.
• With 11 made 3-pointers, UK extended its streak of consecutive games with a triple to 272.
  • Kentucky’s 11 made 3-pointers ties a season high.
  • It is the fourth time this season UK has hit 10 or more 3-pointers.
• Ten of the 12 Wildcats who played scored at least two points.
• Attendance was 5,002.

Individual Notes

• Junior guard A’dia Mathies had a team-high 21 points, including a career-high five 3-pointers, a season-high six assists, three rebounds, two blocks and two steals.
  • Mathies has reached double figures in scoring in 12 of 14 games played this season.
  • Mathies now has 13 20-point games in her career.
  • Mathies’ 21 points give her 1,146 points for her career, and move her up to No. 21 all-time in scoring at Kentucky. She is 24 points shy of tying Jocelyn Mills at No. 20.
  • Mathies’ two steals give her 214 for her career. Mathies is now 10 shy of tying Sandy Harding at No. 8 on the all-time steals list.
  • Mathies surpassed her 3-point field goals made total of 22 from last season by hitting five 3-pointers Thursday night to give her 26 for the season.
    • Mathies is 17-28 (.607) from beyond the arc over the last seven games.
• Freshman forward/center Azia Bishop grabbed a team-high eight rebounds in 10 minutes of action. Bishop also scored 11 points, all of which came in the second half.
• Freshman guard Bria Goss scored 11 points, on a perfect 4-4 shooting, including a career high three 3-pointers, to go with five rebounds, two assists and two steals.
  • Goss has reached double figures in scoring in 13 of 15 games this season, including seven in a row.
• Sophomore guard Bernisha Pinkett scored eight points, her most since scoring 11 against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Dec. 11, and grabbed seven boards, her most since grabbing eight vs. Mississippi Valley State on Nov. 27.
• Senior guard Amber Smith scored four points and grabbed four rebounds.
  • Smith’s two assists give her 388 career assists, and pushes her to within 12 of Rita Adams at No. 6 on the all-time assists list.
• Sophomore guard Kastine Evans finished with eight points, going a perfect 8-8 from the charity stripe, a career-high in free throws made, while also getting four rebounds and two assists.