Meadows leads Wildcats with 21 points in 60-55 loss.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Jan. 14, 2000) — Laura Meadows scored ateam-high 21 points and grabbed 11 rebounds forKentucky, but it wouldn’t be enough, however, asVanderbilt defeated the Wildcats in overtime,60-55, in Memorial Gym.
The Wildcats’ (10-5, 2-1) tied the game 53 apieceat the end of regulation on two of Shantia Owen’s12 points after being down by seven (the biggestmargin of the night) with 13:16 left in the game.Vanderbilt (14-2, 2-0) would then go on a 7-2 runin overtime, netting 3-of-7 free throws and 2-of-7from the floor. Kentucky went 1-of-7 in extraminutes, missing three attempts from the three-pointline.
Both teams struggled offensively throughout thegame as Kentucky hit 20-of-57 (35.1%) andVanderbilt hit 20-of-65 (30.8%).
“We knew coming in tonight that this was going tobe a fight,” junior forward Laura Meadows said.”It’s the SEC and you have to battle for everything.We didn’t hit the glass tonight and you have torebound in order to score.”
The Commodores outrebounded Kentucky 48-26,including a 26-17 margin on the offensive boards.Freshman center Chantelle Anderson led the Doresin scoring with 20 points while this week’s SECPlayer of the Week Zuzi Klimesova grabbed agame-high 13 rebounds.
The first half proved to be a defensive battle as bothteams netted only eight field goals apiece. The Catsjumped out to an early 6-2 lead before going 10 minutes without a basket.The Cats’ scoring slump allowed the Commodores to rally back to take a24-21 lead at the half, despite shooting only 26.7 percent.
Meadows’ 21 points and 11 rebounds marks her third season double-doubleand eighth career. Along with Meadows and Owens, Jackson also netteddouble-figures with 10 points. Starters LaTonya McDole and Tiffany Waitwere limited to a combined six points after playing most of the game in foultrouble. Wait and Owens both fouled out in overtime.
Kentucky will play host to three straight home games beginning withArkansas on Sunday, Jan. 13 at 3 p.m. The game will be televised live onFox Sport South Net as the SEC’s Game of the Week. Former UKAll-American Valerie Still, now of the WNBA’s Washington Mystics, alongwith many other great alumni will return on Sunday to help the Wildcatscelebrate the 25th anniversary as a varsity sport.
