Kentucky Falls Just Short at No. 15 Missouri
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Taylor Murray tied a season high with 23 points, but the Kentucky women’s basketball team lost at No. 15 Missouri 83-78 on Thursday night.
Kentucky (12-13, 4-7 SEC) got 22 points from Maci Morris, with 15 of those coming in the fourth quarter. Freshman Dorie Harrison had 12 points for the Wildcats.
The Wildcats shot the ball well, hitting half (30-60) of their shots from the field, including 11 of 17 (64.7 percent) in the fourth quarter. However, Missouri hit 26 of its 47 shots in the game for 55.3 percent. The Tigers also hit 10 of their 21 three-point shots, while Kentucky converted on seven of 16 from behind the arc.
Kentucky committed just seven turnovers in the game, while forcing Missouri into 16. The Wildcats scored 19 points off of Missouri miscues, while the Tigers got 13 points off of Kentucky’s mistakes.
The Wildcats held a 20-4 advantage in bench points, as well as a 26-20 edge on points in the paint. Missouri took advantage of its chances at the free throw line, hitting 21 of their 26 attempts, while Kentucky hit 11 of 15.
Kentucky took an early 6-2 lead on a basket and free throw by KeKe McKinney and a three-pointer by Morris. Missouri led 12-11 before going on a 14-4 run to finish the period with a 26-15 lead.
In the second period, the Tigers would stretch the lead to 35-19 before Kentucky started clawing back. When Murray hit a free throw with 1:56 left in the half, it completed an 11-4 run for the Cats, cutting the advantage to 38-30. Missouri would lead 41-32 at the break after shooting 64 percent in the first half, compared with Kentucky’s 44.8 percent shooting from the field. Murray had 10 points in the half for the Cats.
Kentucky scored the first four points of the second half on baskets by Morris and McKinney, cutting the Missouri lead to 41-36. However, the Tigers had the answer, assembling a 13-4 run to take a 54-40 advantage with 4:48 left in the period. Missouri would lead 59-46 after three quarters.
In the fourth quarter, Kentucky started on an 8-2 run, capped by a three-pointer from Makenzie Cann, to cut the lead to 61-54 with 6:44 left in the game. Kentucky would continue to chip away at the lead, eventually getting within three, 81-78, on a Murray shot from behind the arc with nine seconds remaining.
Kentucky returns to action on Sunday, as the Wildcats visit Mississippi State in Starkville. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. ET and the game can be seen on ESPNU.
