Jan 13, 2002
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) – Carol Smith scored 16 points and Natasha Brackett had15 Sunday, helping No. 19 Auburn hold off Kentucky 70-66 for its firstSoutheastern Conference victory.
Lakeisha Johnson added 14 points and Le’Coe Willingham and Brandi Hillmancombined for 15 rebounds for the Tigers (13-3, 1-2). Auburn’s leading scorer,Tia Miller, missed the game with a knee injury.
SeSe Helm scored 18 points and Rita Adams added 17 points, a career-highnine rebounds and eight assists for Kentucky (8-8, 1-3), which lost for thethird time in four games.
Adams made 5-of-8 shots, including 4-of-6 from 3-point range, for theWildcats, who hit 47 percent from behind the 3-point line.
A 7-0 run put Kentucky up 34-33 with 13:29 to play. Auburn then outscoredthe Wildcats 19-3 over the next six minutes to take a 52-37 lead.
The Tigers led 58-47 at the four-minute mark but Adams and Sara Potts hitconsecutive 3-pointers to key an 8-2 run that pulled the Wildcats within 60-55with 2:12 remaining.
Back-to-back baskets by Helm cut the margin to 62-59 with 1:23 to play. ButAuburn hit six straight free throws in the final minute to preserve thevictory.
Kentucky shot 50 percent to Auburn’s 44 percent but was outrebounded 32-27,including a 13-7 margin at the offensive end. The Wildcats also committed 19turnovers, leading to 22 Auburn points.
