LaTonya McDole scores career-high 19 points in win.
CINCINNATI, Ohio (Dec. 22, 1999) — Sophomore forwardLaTonya McDole scored a career-high 19 pointsand grabbed 10 rebounds to help lead theUniversity of Kentucky women’s basketball team toa 68-62 win over Cincinnati on Wednesday.
Senior center Shantia Owens recorded her secondseason and fourth career double-double with 12points and 10 rebounds. Senior Erica Jackson andjunior Laura Meadows followed in the scoringcolumn with 13 and 11 points, respectively.Meadows also grabbed nine rebounds.
The game remained tight in the first half withKentucky (6-3) taking a 37-36 lead at the half aftertrailing by nine points with 12 minutes to go.Freshman Melissa Langelier came off the bench tospark the Cats with a long range three-pointer,giving UK its first lead, 21-20, at the 4:44 mark.Jackson led UK at the half with nine points.
A 9-2 run opened the second half as Kentuckyjumped to a 46-38 lead before Cincinnati had seenenough. The Bearcats (5-4) would respond after a:30 second timeout, led by senior Madinah Slaise,who scored 15 of her season-high 32 points in thesecond half to pull Cincinnati back within two,62-60. UC’s Laura Wilder nailed a layup with 1:13to go, but time ran out and the Cats went on tovictory.
“I’m very proud of our girls tonight,” UK CoachBernadette Mattox said. “We played greatdefensive and stood our ground through a lot ofadversity. They were a tough team, but we showedpoise and patience and pulled through.”
Kentucky is 16-3 all-time versus UC, having won the last four meetings.
UK plays the first of four straight home games on Tuesday, Dec. 28 when itfaces Tennessee-Martin at 7 p.m. in Memorial Coliseum. UK has not playedat home since defeating in-state rival Western Kentucky on Dec. 1.
NOTE: Kentucky guard Carolyn Alexander was taken to the CincinnatiUniversity Medical Center in the first half after dislocating her ring finger onher right hand. She will be further evaluated at Lexington’s UK hospital.
