Dec. 14, 2002
Honolulu, Hawai’i –
Kentucky dropped its fourth straight game, falling 70-59 to host Hawaii in the first round of the Hawaii Invitational on Saturday night. UK will face Long Island, who fell to UNLV 60-56, on Sunday, Dec. 15 at 8 p.m. ET in the consolation game.
A sluggish start again plagued the Cats as they shot a dismal 21.9 percent in the first half en route to a 33-18 half-time deficit. UK scored off the opening tip but never led again, despite making key runs in the second half and outscoring Hawaii 41-37. UK shot a season-low 35.3 percent for the game.
The first of those runs came immediately after the break. UK (2-4) came out firing, jetting out on a 12-4 run to get the Cats within five. Danyelle Payne capped off the spree with a basket and ensuing free throw to pull UK within 37-32. The Rainbow Wahine then answered, going on a run of their own to capture a 17-point lead, their biggest of the game, with less than eight minutes remaining. The Cats managed to put together three straight baskets to pull within eight, 67-59 at the :40 second mark. However, all the Cats could do was foul down the stretch, giving the Rainbow Wahine the 11-point victory and a trip to the championship round tomorrow night.
“Hawaii was doing exactly what they wanted to do in the first half and that was make us rush our shots,” UK Coach Bernadette Mattox said. “We slowed it down in the second half and executed our offense. I was pleased with the play of Jennifer (Humphrey) and Pfeiffer. We just didn’t put two halves together again.”
Four Cats scored in double figures, led by Jenny Pfeiffer and Sara Potts’ 12 points each. Senior Rita Adams contributed seven, and SeSe Helm made her way back into double digits with 10 in the game. Helm also had a team-leading nine boards in the contest. Humphrey scored all 11 of her career-high points in the second half. Adams also dished out a game-high seven assists, moving her to No. 8 on UK’s all-time assists list with 328.
The Cats saw themselves trailing at the half for the fourth time this season after the Rainbow Wahine opened up a 10-4 lead early. Hawaii pulled away before a Potts’ three-pointer pulled the Cats within five, 20-15, with 9:00 to go. UK went cold, not scoring again until a trifecta from Pfeiffer with only three minutes remaining. Pfeiffer was the leading scorer in the opening stanza with eight points.
The Cats also faced foul trouble in the opening stanza, with both Adams and Jones plagued with two fouls before the 15:00 mark.
“We have to keep Shambrica (Jones) away from foul trouble, ” Mattox said. “She is a key component to our rotation and I thought we struggled without her on the floor in the first half.”
Jones was held scoreless for the first time in 21 games. The last time she did not score was against Mississippi State on Jan. 3, 2002.
Hawaii (4-2) shot 41.5 percent from the floor and was led by four Rainbow Wahine in double figures. April Atuaia led with 17 while Jade Abele and Christen Roper scored 13 points a piece.
