Feb. 28, 2013
OXFORD, Miss. (AP) – A’dia Mathies scored 20 points and No. 10 Kentucky routed Mississippi 90-65 as Wildcats coach Matthew Mitchell tied the school record for victories.
Kentucky (24-4, 12-3 SEC) dominated Ole Miss (9-19, 2-13) the Lady Rebels on the boards and turned a season-high 57 rebounds – Ole Miss had 38 – into 21 second-chance points.
Janee Thompson added 11 points for the Wildcats and Bria Gross chipped in 10.
Tia Faleru had 14 points and 14 rebounds to lead the Lady Rebels and Danielle McCray had 12.
Mitchell, a Mississippi native, tied Terry Hall (1980-87) as Kentucky’s winningest women’s basketball coach with 138 victories. Mitchell will get a chance to break the record Sunday against No. 8 Tennessee.
During his six years at Kentucky, Mitchell has been particularly tough on his home state’s two Southeastern Conference schools, compiling a 12-2 record against Ole Miss and Mississippi State, his alma mater.
Thursday’s victory was Kentucky’s fourth consecutive win against the Rebels.
Kentucky entered the game with a league-best plus-20.6 scoring margin. The Wildcats nearly matched that in the first half, building a 37-18 lead.
Kentucky’s pressure defense led to 21 Ole Miss turnovers, which the Wildcats turned into 23 points.
Samarie Walker did a little bit of everything for the Wildcats with 13 rebound, nine points, two blocks and two steals in 19 minutes.
Because of self-imposed sanctions, which include a post-season ban, Ole Miss’ season ends Sunday at Arkansas.
