Jan. 3, 2000
LEXINGTON, Kty. – The University of Kentucky women’s basketball team usedaggressive defense and a tenacious transition game to defeat Winthrop94-39 in Memorial Coliseum. Sophomore forward Tanesha Seaton recorded acareer-high 20 points off the bench and added three blocks to lead fiveWildcats in double figures.
The Cats (8-4), bouncing back from a one-point loss to Xavier onFriday, came out aggressive early, jumping to a 22-4 lead with 12minutes to go in the first half. Winthrop (3-8) managed only sevenfield goals in the first half as UK jumped out to a 26-point halftimelead.
UK scored 45 points off Winthrop’s turnovers and netted 56points in the paint compared to the Lady Eagles’ 12 points. The Catsused a balanced scoring attack as all 12 players scored with 44 pointscoming from bench-play.
“We needed to score more in transition and we did that tonight,”UK Coach Bernadette Mattox said. “A strong transition game is somethingall champions have. We started that last year and we are getting backto that style of play now. That up and down style is Kentuckybasketball.”
Seaton led all scorers with 20 points while senior Tiffany Waitadded a season-high 13 points. Sophomore LaTonya McDole charted herfourth consecutive game in double-figure scoring with 12 points. SeniorErica Jackson also added 12 points for her sixth double-figure game outof the last seven. Junior forward Laura Meadows rounded out the scoringleaders with 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting from the floor. Senior centerShantia Owens recorded her fourth consecutive game with double-figurerebounding, leading all players with 10 boards. She also tied hercareer-high in blocks with five.
“Kentucky played very good defense and they took us out of ourgame plan. We didn’t have the ability to make it close,” Winthrop CoachRobin Muller said. “Their defense is much more aggressive and physical.They had a lot of hands on the ball.”
UK held Winthrop to a season-low 22.7 percent from the floor,allowing only three field goals in the second half. The Cats alsooutrebounded the Eagles 45-31 and recorded a team-high 11 blocks.
Kentucky begins Southeastern Conference play on Thursday, Jan. 6when it faces No. 5 Auburn at 7 p.m. in Memorial Coliseum. UK looks toavenge a one-point loss (68-67) at the buzzer last season by the Tigersin Memorial Coliseum. The Cats are 8-15 all-time versus Auburn.
“It’s a new season now,” Mattox said. “All the games we haveplayed thus far have been to get ready for the SEC season. It’s timefor the meat of the schedule.”
