Kentucky Women’s Basketball Postgame Notes
No. 17/17 Kentucky (6 seed) vs. No. 10/10 NC State (3 seed)
NCAA Tournament Second Round  
Reynolds Coliseum – Raleigh, N.C. 
Monday, March 25, 2019
 
No. 17/17 Kentucky 57, No. 10/10 NC State 72 – FINAL
 
Team Records and Series Notes

• Kentucky ends the season 25-8 while NC State is now 28-5 and advances to the Greensboro Regional Semifinal.
• This was the sixth all-time meeting between Kentucky and NC State in women’s basketball with the Wolfpack holding a 4-2 edge in games won. This was the fourth meeting between the two teams in Raleigh, N.C., with NC State holding a 3-1 advantage in those games.
  • This was the first NCAA Tournament game between the two teams.

• UK is now 823-540 all-time in its 45 years as a program.
  • Matthew Mitchell is in his 12th year with the Wildcats and holds a 281-125 record. Mitchell is 311-154 overall in 14 years as a head coach.
• Kentucky is ranked No. 17 in the Associated Press Top 25 and No. 17 in the USA Today/Coaches Top 25.
• This is Kentucky’s 15th all-time appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
  • The Wildcats are 21-15 all-time in the NCAA Tournament, including 17-9 under Matthew Mitchell.
  • Kentucky is a six seed in the event for the second time in program history.
  • The Wildcats are now 5-6 all-time in second-round games including a 5-4 mark under Mitchell. 

 
Team Notes

• Kentucky used the starting combination of senior guard Taylor Murray, senior guard Maci Morris, freshman guard Rhyne Howard, junior guard Amanda Paschal and sophomore forward Tatyana Wyatt.
  • UK is 2-2 with that combination.
• NC State scored 25 first-quarter points shooting 10-of-18 from the field and 4-of-7 from long range.
  • The 25 points were the most UK has given up in the first quarter since Mississippi State scored 26 against the Wildcats in Starkville on Jan. 6, 2019.
• Kentucky hit two free throws with 0.3 left in the first quarter and scored the first five points of the second quarter to cut the NC State lead to three at 25-22 early in the second but the Wolfpack followed with four straight points to inch out their lead to 31-26 at the under-five media timeout.
• The Wildcats outscored the Wolfpack 13-10 in the second quarter but NC State took a 35-30 lead into the locker room at halftime.
  • Kentucky had just one turnover in the first half while forcing NC State into eight miscues.
  • UK had a 10-9 advantage on the offensive glass at halftime but NC State led in second-chance points 5-2 at the break.
  • Ten of NC State’s 13 made field goals were off assists in the first half while UK had five assists and 12 made baskets.
• Both teams scored 18 points in the third quarter as NC State hit a 3 with 24 seconds remaining and Kentucky answered with a Jaida Roper 3 as time expired in the third quarter.
  • Seven of NC State’s 18 third-quarter points were from second-chance points.
• NC State started the fourth quarter on a 7-0 run as the Wildcats missed their first seven shots. The fourth-quarter start gave the Wolfpack their largest lead of the game at the time of 60-48 with 7:06 left.
• Kentucky is 6-6 this season when it is trailing at the half. UK trailed at halftime in both games this weekend.
  • Coach Mitchell is 54-96 when trailing at the half.
  • The Wildcats have trailed at halftime each of the last five games.
• NC State out-scored UK 19-9 in the fourth quarter.
  • UK didn’t score over the last 2:16 of the game.
• NC State won points in the paint 22-12.
• The Wolfpack out-rebounded UK 50-31.
  • The hosts had a 17-15 advantage on the offensive glass yet won second-chance points 17-5.
• Both teams shot 67 percent from the free-throw line, with NC State going 16-24 and UK 4-6.
• UK had a 9-2 steals advantage, but just a +2 advantage in points off turnovers (13-11).
• Kentucky finished the year 6-6 this year after trailing at the half.
• The Wildcats were 7-8 this season when shooting worse percentage than their opponents.

 
Player Notes

• Senior guard Taylor Murray scored four points with four assists, five rebounds and two steals.

  • Murray ends her career with 1,359 career points and ranks 17th all-time in points scored.
  • Murray’s 450 career assists ranks fifth most in program history. 
  • Murray’s 287 career steals ranks fourth most in program history. 
  • Murray is the only player in program history to end her career with at least 1,350 points, 280+ steals and 450+ assists.

• Freshman guard Rhyne Howard scored 21 points with seven rebounds and three steals.

  • Howard scored 525 points this season and is only the second freshman in program history to score over 500 points their rookie season.
  • Howard hit 74 3-pointers this season, which is the most ever by a true freshman in a single season in program history.
  • Howard’s 68 steals, which ranks third most by a freshman in program history.
  • Her 212 rebounds was third most all-time by a freshman in program history. 
  • Howard scored 15 points in the first half and is the first UK player to accomplish that feat since Maci Morris scored 15 vs. Rhode Island on Dec. 6, 2018.
  • Rhyne Howard scored 15 of Kentucky’s 30 first-half points.
• Senior guard Maci Morris scored 18 points and hit four 3s in the game.
  • Morris ends her career with 1,692 points, which ranks sixth most in program history.
  • Morris’ 252 career 3-pointers made ranks second in program history.
  • Morris hit at least one 3-pointer in 107 of 129 career games played.
  • Morris ends her career with a 3-point field-goal percentage of 41.1 percent which is the best in program history.
  • Morris scored UK’s first points and has been the first player for UK to score in a team-high 12 games this season.
• Sophomore forward Tatyana Wyatt scored seven points with five rebounds.
  • Wyatt has four or more rebounds in seven straight games for the first time in her career.
• Junior guard Jaida Roper scored five points with one three.
  • Roper was Kentucky’s first sub off the bench and has been the first sub in eight games this season.