Kentucky-Tennessee Postgame Notes

Jan. 29, 2015

Recap | Box Score | Quotes | Photo Gallery

Kentucky falls to 16-5 overall, 5-3 in the SEC, while Tennessee improves to 18-3, 8-0 SEC.
Kentucky moves to 728-491 (65.5) all-time in 41 seasons of varsity women’s basketball and 193-161 (54.8) in the month of January.
Matthew Mitchell, UK’s all-time winningest coach, moves to 216-105 overall, 186-76 at UK.
- Mitchell is now 76-40 in SEC play and 4-10 vs. Tennessee.
This was the 61st meeting between the programs since UK became a varsity sport in 1974-75.
- UT leads the all-time series 51-10.
- Tonight’s game snapped a two-game winning streak at Memorial Coliseum against Tennessee.
- The last two games in the series have been decided by just one point.
  - The last three games have been decided by a combined six points.
Kentucky falls to 395-145 all-time in Memorial Coliseum, including 105-17 under Matthew Mitchell.
- The loss snapped UK’s 13-game home winning streak which ties as the sixth-longest home winning streak in program history.
Moved UK to 2-3 vs. top-10 opponents this season, 1-1 at home.
Tonight’s attendance was 7,407.
- Marked the second-highest attendance of the season and highest in Memorial Coliseum.
Next up: UK will face No. 21/20 Georgia Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. ET in Memorial Coliseum. The game will be on the SEC Network with Paul Sunderland and Nell Fortner.

UK started with the lineup of Linnae Harper, Makayla Epps, Bria Goss, Azia Bishop and Jelléah Sidney for the first time this season.
- Marks the ninth different starting lineup of the season.
Jen O’Neill, AlexisJennings and Jelléah Sidney all had seven points to lead UK in scoring.
- O’Neill also added four steals.
Alexis Jennings and Jelléah Sidney both had a team-high five rebounds.
- Sidney’s five rebounds were a season high.
The Wildcats shot 37.1 percent from the floor (13-of-35).
Kentucky won the battle of the boards, 21-19.
- Every UK player had a rebound, with five different UK players recording an offensive board.
UK forced Tennessee into 13 turnovers and scored five points off those turnovers.
Kentucky closed the half on a 10-1 run to take a six-point lead into the locker room.
UK is now 8-2 when leading at halftime this season, including 3-2 in SEC play.

UK began the second half with its original starting five of Makayla Epps, Jelléah Sidney, Bria Goss, Azia Bishop and Alexis Jennings.
Tennessee outscored Kentucky 48-41 in the second half.
Kentucky hit 14-of-35 40.0 percent, while Tennessee was 18-of-30 for 60 percent.
UK went 9-of-13 from the free-throw line in the second half for 69.2 percent.
Makayla Epps scored 17 of her 23 points in the second half.
- She also scored the last 10 points of the game for UK.
UK had the ball out of bounds underneath its basket with 4.3 seconds and 0.4 seconds remaining, but couldn’t score the winning basket.

The score was tied seven times and there were 12 lead changes in the game.
UK won the rebounding battle against the much taller Lady Vols, 39-38.
Kentucky forced Tennessee into a season-high 22 turnovers, scoring 14 points off those turnovers.
- UK is now 15-4 this season when forcing double-digit turnovers.
- UK has forced 20 or more turnovers in 18 of its last 21 games.
UK had 10 steals in the game, its 10th-straight game with double-digit steals.
- Seven different players recorded a steal in the game
Kentucky is now 3-2 this season in games decided by one point or less and 7-4 in games decided by single digits.
- Under Mitchell, UK is now 75-45 in games decided by 10 points or less in his tenure.

Sophomore Makayla Epps led UK in scoring with 23 points on 8-of-19 shooting.
- Marked her fourth 20-point game this season, and fourth of her career.
- Marked 22nd career double-digit scoring game and eighth in the last nine games.
- Went a perfect 3-of-3 from 3-point line, a career high.
- Charted a team- and career-high four steals.
Senior Jennifer O’Neill came off the bench to score 12 points on 4-of-15 shooting.
- Now scored double-figures in the last three games and 17 of 20 games played.
- Went 2-of-6 from 3, tying A’dia Mathies (2010-13) for No. 2 all-time with 178.
- Drew her team-high 16th charge of the season in the first half.
- Had a team-high five assists in the game.
Freshman Alexis Jennings came off the bench for 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting to go along with seven rebounds.
- Marked her third-straight game in double figures and 11th of the season.
Senior Jelléah Sidney recorded a season-high seven points, just two off her career high.
- Led UK in rebounding with a career-high tying nine boards (vs. ETSU 12/15/13).
- Started her second-straight game.
Senior Bria Goss scored seven points in the game, while collecting six rebounds.
- Moved her into a tie for No. 20 on UK’s all-time scoring list with 1,176 career points (Patty Jo Hedges, 1980-83).

Related Stories