Going to The Plains: No. 12 Kentucky Travels to Auburn for Thursday Game
AUBURN, Ala. – The No. 12 University of Kentucky women’s basketball team will take a trip to The Plains, as the team is set to compete against Auburn in Auburn, Alabama, on Thursday, January 21 for an 8:30 p.m. tip inside Auburn Arena. The game will be televised on the SEC Network with Eric Frede and Christy Thomaskutty on the call.
The action can also be seen through WatchESPN on computers, smartphones or tablets. Darren Headrick will have the call on the UK Sports Network on 630AM WLAP in Lexington. Live stats and free live audio will be available online at UKathletics.com.
Kentucky (10-3, 3-2 Southeastern Conference) is coming off a win to Vanderbilt, earning an 80-73 final score over the Commodores, even with an undermanned roster. Blair Green had a career night, as the Harlan County, Kentucky, native rallied 22 points on 70 percent shooting from the field (7-of-10 FG), including 80 percent shooting from the arc (4-of-5 3FG). The junior guard also grabbed five rebounds and forced two steals in a career-high 39 minutes.
The Wildcats actually had five players score in double figures, even while UK was down and out four performers on Sunday night, including Robyn Benton, Jazmine Massengill and Kameron Roach for COVID protocol and Rhyne Howard with a day-to-day ankle injury.
Dre’una Edwards flirted with a double-double, recording 17 points, eight rebounds and four blocks, while Chasity Patterson added 16 points (on 7-of-12 shooting), seven rebounds and seven assists. KeKe McKinney contributed 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting and 3-of-4 from long range. Treasure Hunt made her first career start against the Commodores. The freshman played for more than 35 minutes, a season high, recording 11 points, five rebounds, two assists and two blocks, helping an undermanned Kentucky team to a win over Vanderbilt.
Thursday’s game will be the 51st all-time meeting between Kentucky and Auburn, with Kentucky trailing in the series, 24-26. The Tigers lead the series in games played in Auburn, 11-10. UK has won 15 of the last 18 meetings in the series, with all three of Kentucky’s losses in that stretch taking place in Auburn.
The Tigers are 5-7 this season, including 5-3 at home. Two players on their roster are averaging in double figures, paced by Unique Thompson and her 18.2 points per game and a nation-leading 15.1 rebounds per game, while she boasts a 55.4 field-goal average on 62-of-112 shooting. The senior also leads the team in steals, forcing 27 through just nine games played.
Thompson is supported, in part, by Honesty Scott-Grayson who is averaging 11.6 points per game, while also leading the team with 23 assists through 12 games played. Overall this season, Auburn is averaging 65.3 points per game, while its opponents are averaging 65.9 points per game. The Tigers lead the conference in steals, producing about 12.1 steals per game.
The Wildcats last lost to the Tigers on Jan. 3, 2016, 66-61. Last season, UK defeated AU, 68-61, inside Memorial Coliseum on Jan. 27, 2020. Rhyne Howard fractured a finger on her left hand in that contest that kept her out for the next three league games.
For more information on the Kentucky women’s basketball team, visit UKathletics.com or follow @KentuckyWBB on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
