February 4, 1999
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky women’s basketball team dropped a heartbreaker to No. 21 Auburn, 68-67, on a last second shot, to snap its three-game home win streak in Memorial Coliseum.
Auburn’s Kris Bernath nailed a 10-foot jumper with less than a second on the clock after freshman LaTonya McDole hit two free throws with :07 seconds remaining to pull the Cats ahead by one, 67-66. The Wildcats (14-8, 4-6 SEC) trailed at halftime, 31-30, and got to the foul line only three times in the second half, making two. However, Kentucky came out on fire in the second half, jumping to an 18-point, lead with 13:44 remaining in the game.
Auburn made 15-of-17 free throws over the final 20 minutes to take the lead, 66-65, with :37.6 to go. Conswella Sparrow scored 16 points and Bernath added 12 off the bench to rebound from an overtime loss to LSU on Sunday.
“The free throw line is where we got taken down,” UK Coach Bernadette Mattox said. “We have to learn that when we have a 19 point lead, we can’t let down.”
The Tigers won the game at the foul line, making 22-of-27 compared to just 9-of-15 for Kentucky. Sparrow was 4-of-8 from the field and made all eight free throws, helping the Tigers (17-4, 8-3 SEC) pull into a tie for second place with LSU.
McDole scored a career-high 18 points on 8-of-11 shooting for the Wildcats, who have dropped two in a row following a three-game winning streak. Tiffany Wait added 15 points and Shantia Owens and Erica Jackson each had 11 for Kentucky, which shot just 40 percent (26-of-60). Tasha Hamilton added 11 points and Tiffany Krantz contributed 10 for Auburn, which shot 41 percent (22-of-54) from the field.
UK defeated Auburn earlier this season, 68-62, and held a three-game win streak over the Tigers. Auburn’s win marks its first victory over the Cats in Lexington since winning 60-59 on Feb. 2, 1997.
The Cats will return home on Sunday, Feb. 7 when they face No. 8 Georgia at 2 p.m. UK will also celebrated Take A Kid To The Game Day. Children under the age of 18 and accompanied by an adult are admitted free. Admission is $5 for adults. The first 100 children under the age of 12 will receive free basketballs and the first 500 fans will receive UK women’s basketball water bottles.
