Kentucky-Florida Postgame Notes

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL POSTGAME NOTES
KENTUCKY AT FLORIDA
SUNDAY, JAN. 15, 2023
EXACTECH ARENA AT THE STEPHEN C O’CONNELL CENTER – GAINESVILLE, FLA.
  

Kentucky 81, Florida 75 – FINAL
 
Team Records and Series Notes   

• The University of Kentucky women’s basketball program is in its 49th season with an 891-578 (.607) all-time record.    
  • The Wildcats are now 9-9 overall and 1-5 in the league.  
  • The Gators are now 12-6 overall and 1-4 in the league. 
• Kyra Elzy is in her third season as the head coach of the Wildcats, holding a 46-30 overall record.   
  • She has a 18-19 overall record in the SEC. 
• Kentucky remains the leader in the all-time meetings with Florida, 35-27, in a series that began in 1978. 
  • Kentucky broke its tie with Florida in games played in Gainesville, 13-12. 
    • Kentucky has won four of its last five meetings against Florida in Gainesville, its best record against the Gators in any five-game span in the town in program history. 
• Kentucky will have a bye game this week, before meeting Mississippi State in Starkville, Mississippi, on Sunday, Jan. 22 at 1 p.m. ET. 

Team Notes   

• The game tied Kentucky’s largest deficit overcome in a win against an SEC opponent in program history (16 points).  
  • This is the fourth comeback of 16 points in a win against an SEC opponent in program history, most recently on Feb. 14, 2013 against South Carolina. 
• The game ties Kentucky’s largest deficit overcome in a win in an SEC road game (16 points). Kentucky also came back from 16 points down at Ole Miss on Feb. 8, 2007 in a victory. 
• Kentucky is 5-0 this season when it records at least 80 points. 
  • It is 379-26 all-time when scoring at least 80 points. 
  • Kentucky improves to 13-1 all-time against Florida when they score at least 80 points against the Gators (6-1 in Gainesville). 
• Kentucky used the starting combination Jada Walker, Maddie Scherr, Robyn Benton, Blair Green and Nyah Leveretter for the 12th game this season. UK is 6-6 using that starting combination.   
  • Florida won the opening tip.  
  • Maddie Scherr was the first player to score for Kentucky. 
  • Adebola Adeyeye was the first substitute off the bench for Kentucky.  
• Florida led Kentucky, 10-8, at the first media timeout (4:50). 
  • The two teams were back-and-forth in scoring through the first four minutes of the first quarter, with UK and UF tied at 8-8 with six minutes and one second remaining in the period.  
  • The Gators went on a 7-0 run toward the end of the first quarter, while the Wildcats were held scoreless for more than four minutes. 
  • The Gators stretched their 7-0 run into a 11-2 run to the end of the first quarter, with the Wildcats’ solo points coming off a couple of makes at the line by Jada Walker. 
  • Florida led Kentucky, 18-10, at the end of the first quarter. 
• Florida opened up the second quarter with a 12-4 run in the first two minutes, with all 12 of its points coming off 3-pointers made by KK Deans. That run prompted Kentucky to call a timeout at 8:03. 
  • Out of that timeout, Kentucky went on a 7-0 run, holding Florida scoreless for more than three-and-a-half minutes. 
  • The Wildcats stretched their 7-0 run into a 13-2 run over the Gators to make it a five-point game, 32-27, with two minutes and nine seconds remaining in the period. 
  • Kennedy Cambridge then had an intentional foul called on her, which sparked a 4-0 run for the Gators on a couple free throws and then a layup. 
  • Blair Green closed out the second quarter with a 3-pointer. 
  • Florida led Kentucky, 36-30, at halftime.  
• Kentucky and Florida tied in scoring, 8-8, through the first five minutes and five seconds of the third quarter before the media timeout.  
  • Out of the timeout, Robyn Benton scored on a jumper to make it a four-point game. 
  • That was the start of an 8-3 run to help Kentucky get within one point of Florida, 47-46, with two minutes and 35 seconds remaining in the third quarter. 
  • Florida answered with a layup, then Kentucky rallied another 7-2 run, which included a baseline jumper by Scherr at the buzzer for the lead.  
  • Kentucky led Florida, 53-51, at the end of the third quarter. 
• Florida scored first out of the break to tie the game. 
  • Kentucky responded with an 8-0 run over the next 40 seconds, which included five points in under 10 seconds thanks to a jumper at the logo by Walker and then a steal on the inbound and an and-one play by Benton. 
    • The Wildcats led the Gators, 61-53, after that run, with eight minutes and 52 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.  
  • After that run, it was back-and-forth scoring from 8:48 until 4:20, with neither team going on a run greater than three points until the two teams traded 6-0 runs under the three-and-a-half minute mark, first Florida and then Kentucky. 
  • The Gators responded with a 3-pointer and a layup, before the Wildcats knocked down a pair of free throws. 
  • Florida had a layup under 10 seconds to make it a three-point game, 78-75,t hen Benton drew a foul and knocked down both of her free throws to make it a five-point game.  
  • Kentucky got a stop on the other end of the court, before Walker drew another foul and knocked down one.  
  • Kentucky defeated Florida, 81-75.  
• Kentucky shot 40.0 percent from the field (28-70) and 82.1 percent from the line (23-28). 
• Kentucky forced Florida to commit 24 turnovers, outscoring the Gators, 28-13, off those miscues. 
  • The Cats have forced 16 of their 18 opponents into at least 17 turnovers. 
  • The Cats have forced 12 of their 18 opponents into at least 20 turnovers.  
• The Wildcats had a season-high 17 steals. 

Player Notes   

• Graduate guard Robyn Benton led Kentucky with a career-high 29 points, with 17 of those 29 points coming in the fourth quarter. 
  • She has scored in double digits in all 17 games she has played in this season. 
    • She averaged over 20 points a game in Kentucky’s four true road games this season.  
  • She made at least one 3-pointer for the 12th straight game. 
  • She went 10-of-10 from the free-throw line. 
    • It marked the second time this season she has made 10 free throws (first at Missouri on Dec. 29). 
    • The last Cat to hit 100 percent from the free-throw line with at least 10 attempts was Jada Roper vs. Georgia on Feb. 27, 2020.  
    • She is shooting 87.9% from the free-throw line in SEC play this season (29-33). 
  • She added five rebounds and three steals and two assists.  
• Sophomore guard Jada Walker added 19 points. 
  • It marked her 13th game this season she has scored at least 10 points and it marked her eighth game this season she has scored at least 15 points. 
  • She added a season-high tying seven rebounds, three steals and two assists.  
    • She has recorded at least two steals in four of the last five games. 
• Junior guard Maddie Scherr had 18 points.  
  • She has scored at least 15 points in three straight games.  
  • She added six rebounds, four steals, three assists and three blocks.  
    • She leads Kentucky with an active streak of nine straight games recording at least one steal. 
    • She has dished out at least three assists in 16 games this season. 
• Graduate forward Adebola Adeyeye led Kentucky with eight rebounds.  
  • She has led Kentucky in rebounds in three games this season. 
  • She added six points and a steal.