Fast Start Leads No. 18 Kentucky Past Texas A&M
No. 18 Kentucky scored the first 14 points of the game and never looked back, beating Texas A&M 75-55 on Thursday night at Historic Memorial Coliseum.
Kentucky (19-7, 6-6 Southeastern Conference) got 19 points from Asia Boone. Tonie Morgan, who broke Georgia Amoore’s single-season UK assist record in the game, had 19 points and eight assists. Clara Strack scored 17 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, her 13th double-double of the season.
On the first possession of the game, Boone hit a three from the top of the key to give UK an early lead. A Morgan three, then another three from Boone gave the Cats a 9-0 lead. Teonni Key scored in the lane to make it 11 in a row, forcing a Texas A&M timeout.
The break in the action did not cool the Cats. Jordan Obi scored on a putback, then made a subsequent free throw to extend the lead to 14-0. Key scored in the lane before the Aggies got on the board, but they still trailed 16-2. Later, the Aggies added a free throw before Boone hit a baseline jumper to stretch the lead to 18-3. A&M would score to get within 13 before Morgan scored underneath to make it 20-5.
Strack scored on a fadeaway to extend the lead to 17 before Obi hit a three to give UK a 25-5 advantage. Strack scored in the lane and the Cats led 27-5 after one quarter.
In the second quarter, Boone hit another three before the Aggies scored to make it 30-7. Strack and Morgan each scored and the Cats led by 27. A&M scored the next six before Obi scored to extend the lead to 36-13.
Texas A&M scored to cut the deficit to 21 but Strack responded with a layup to give the Cats a 38-15 lead. The Aggies scored the final three points of the quarter, but Kentucky led 38-18 at the half. Boone led all scorers with 11 points in the first half.
The Aggies scored first in the third quarter before Morgan scored on a fast-break layup. An A&M three cut the UK lead to 17, but Strack scored at the basket and made the subsequent free throw to stretch the lead to 43-23. Two Key free throws extended the lead to 22 before the Aggies scored to get within 20 again.
Boone made one-of-two at the line, then two-of-two to extend the lead to 48-25. The Aggies responded with a three-point play before two Morgan free throws gave the Cats a 50-28 lead. A&M would score, but Morgan responded and the Cats again led by 22. After an Aggies’ basket, Strack scored in the lane to give UK a 56-34 advantage. Two Boone free throws extended the lead to 58-34, which was the score after three quarters.
Strack score the first two points of the fourth quarter but A&M scored the next four to cut the UK lead to 60-38. Strack scored again, but the Aggies answered to cut it to a 22-point deficit. Boone hit another three, her fourth of the game, to stretch the lead to 65-40.
Texas A&M would chip away at the UK lead, but the Aggies could only get within 17, which came with less than a minute to play.
Kentucky returns to action on Sunday, hosting No. 14 Ole Miss at Historic Memorial Coliseum. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. ET and the game can be seen on the SEC Network.
