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WOMEN’S BASKETBALL POSTGAME NOTES
NO. 13 KENTUCKY VS. AUBURN
MONDAY, JANUARY 27
MEMORIAL COLISEUM – LEXINGTON, KY.
 
No. 13 Kentucky 68, AUBURN 61 – FINAL
 
Team Records and Series Notes

• Kentucky is 16-3 (5-2 SEC), while Auburn is 7-11 (1-6 SEC)   
• Kentucky is 839-543 all-time, including a 458-157 mark in games played in Memorial Coliseum. 
  • UK is 171-31 all-time under Matthew Mitchell in Memorial Coliseum.
  • UK is 11-1 at home this season, including 10-0 inside Memorial Coliseum. 
• This was the 50th all-time meeting between Kentucky and Auburn in women’s basketball.
  • The Tigers lead the all-time series 26-24. UK leads the all-time series in games played in Lexington, 11-10.
  • The Wildcats have won 12 of the last 13 meetings in the series, including eight straight in Lexington.
  • Mitchell is 14-3 in his UK tenure against the Tigers.
• Matthew Mitchell is in his 13th season as the head coach of the Wildcats.
  • Mitchell is 327-157 overall in his career and 397-128 during his tenure at Kentucky.
• Kentucky is ranked 13 in the latest Associated Press Top 25 and No. 13 in the latest USA Today/Coaches Top 25.
• The Wildcats will return to action Thursday, Jan. 30 when they travel to play at Missouri at 7 p.m. ET on SEC Network. 

 
Team Notes

• Kentucky used the starting combination of sophomore guard Rhyne Howard, senior guards Sabrina Haines and Jaida Roper, junior forward Tatyana Wyatt and sophomore guard Blair Green.
  • This was the fifth time this season that UK has used this starting combination, sitting 4-1.
  • UK won the tip for the 10th time this season. 
  • Sophomore guard Blair Green scored first for Kentucky in the game, hitting a 3 on UK’s first possession. Green has been the first Wildcat to score twice this season.
• UK scored 44 points in the first half, which was its most first-half points in an SEC game this season. The previous high was 33 vs. Texas A&M and at Alabama.
  • The Wildcats went 18-of-35 from the field in the first half for 51 percent.
  • UK was an impressive 7-of-16 from long range in the first half.
  • The Wildcats forced Auburn into 15 first-half turnovers and scored 16 points off those miscues.
  • Eight of the nine Wildcats that played in the first half scored at least two points.
  • Twelve of Kentucky’s 18 made field goals in the first half were assisted.
  • UK’s 16-point first half lead was its largest in an SEC game this season. The previous high was 13 at Alabama.
• The Wildcats had their biggest lead of the game at 42-22 with 3:02 to go in the second quarter but could not sustain that momentum as Auburn answered with a 29-9 run over the next 14 minutes of the game – spanning three quarters – to tie the game 51-51 with 8:40 to go.
  • The Wildcats only scored seven points in the third quarter, which tied its fewest points scored in a quarter this season.
  • UK was 2-of-10 from the field in the third quarter with five turnovers, while Auburn went 7-of-12 from the field and hit three 3s.
  • The Tigers outscored the Wildcats 19-7 in the third quarter.
• UK finished the game on a 17-10 run after Auburn tied it 51-51 to secure the win.
  • UK only hit six field goals in the second half, while Auburn was 12-for-28 from the field in the second half.
  • UK started the third quarter 0-for-7 from the field with five turnovers. UK started 0-for-8 from the field in the fourth quarter.
• Kentucky had only turned the ball over 27 times in its last three games entering Monday, but the Tigers were able to turn the Wildcats over 20 times and scored 16 points of UK miscues.
• Kentucky forced Auburn into 26 turnovers and has forced 14 opponents into 20+ turnover this season.
  • UK is 13-1 when it forces 20 or more turnovers this season.
• The Wildcats scored 25 points off Auburn turnovers and have scored 20 or more points off turnovers in 15 games this season.
  • For the year, UK has scored 456 points off turnovers, amassing 33 percent of its total scoring.
• UK hit 11 3s in the game and has now hit 10 or more 3s in 10 games this season.
  • UK is 13-3 this season when it hits six or more 3s and 9-1 when it hits 10 or more.
• Auburn shot 45.5 percent from the field and UK is now 16-1 when it limits its opponents to 50 percent shooting or less.
• The Wildcats are now 3-0 this season after a loss and 81-34 under Matthew Mitchell after a loss.
• UK’s 16 assists tied a season-high in an SEC game.

 
Player Notes

• Sophomore guard Rhyne Howard scored 10 points in the game with five rebounds.

  • Howard’s 29 minutes ties her fewest minutes in an SEC game this season. She also played 29 minutes against Texas A&M.
  • Howard left the game in the third quarter with a dislocated finger but returned with 4:39 to go in the game and made a huge impact.
    • After she returned, Howard scored a jumper in the paint to put UK up 3 with 3:32 to go.
    • She made two clutch free-throws with 0:29 to go to put UK up 65-61.
    • On the ensuing possession, she got a steal and drew a foul hitting a free throw to all but seal the game.
    • Howard then finished off her impressive comeback with a block with 0:13 to go. 
  • The 10-point performance snapped a streak of eight straight games with 20 or more points for Howard. That is the second-longest streak in program history. Valerie Still scored 20 or more in 10 games back in 1982-83.
    • Howard has scored in double figures in every game but one this season, including 20 or more points in 13 games.
  • Howard has 966 career points needing just 34 more to join the 1,000-point club. She is on pace to be the second fastest to 1,000 in program history.
  • In 51, career game Howard has recorded some impressive numbers:
    • Hit at least one 3 in 45 career games
    • Made three or more 3s in 22 games
    • Made five or more 3s in 9 games
    • Scored 10+ points in 44 games
    • Scored 15+ points in 35 games
    • Scored 20+ points in 23 games
    • Scored 25+ points in 14 games
    • Scored 30+ points in 3 games
    • Led UK in scoring in 31 games
    • Led UK in rebounding in 28 games
• Senior guard Sabrina Haines tied a season high with 17 points, going 5-of-10 from the field and 4-of-8 from 3 with five rebounds, a steal, block and an assist.    
  • Haines has scored 10 or more points in 13 games this season.
  • Haines has a 3 in every game but two this season. 
  • Haines has hit three or more 3s in eight games this season.
  • Haines has hit three or more 3s in four of her last six games.
  • Haines has five or more rebounds in 11 games this season.
  • This was the second time Haines has led UK in scoring this season.
  • This was her fourth 15+ point performance this season and the 10th of her career.
• Junior forward KeKe McKinney returned after missing four games with severe headaches and was huge for the Wildcats, scoring 13 points with eight rebounds.
  • McKinney was 6-of-6 from the field in the game, going 1-of-1 from long range.
  • McKinney’s 13 points was a season high, besting her 12-point performance against Austin Peay.
  • McKinney’s six field-goals made tied a career high. She has hit six twice in her career, last vs. Middle Tennessee on Dec. 15, 2018.
  • McKinney played a team-high 29 minutes in the game.