January 17, 1999
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Chamique Holdsclaw overcame a slow start to score 32points, and No. 1 Tennessee recovered from a subpar first-half performance tobeat Kentucky 98-60 Sunday.
The Lady Vols (15-1, 5-0 Southeastern Conference), who celebrated coach PatSummitt’s 25th year of coaching in a halftime ceremony, outscored Kentucky59-28 in the second half to win handily. Kentucky (11-6, 2-4) trailed by justseven points at halftime.
Holdsclaw scored just four points in the first 12 minutes of the game, butfinished the first half with 19. She and Kellie Jolly keyed a 17-6 run to openthe second half.
Holdsclaw’s two free throws with 14:08 left gave Tennessee a 62-42 lead.Another Tennessee spurt, this time led by Semeka Randall, gave the Lady Vols a78-49 lead.
Kentucky, which got 22 points from Tiffany Wait, scored just seven points inthe final six minutes as Tennessee built the lead to as many as 30 points.
The Lady Vols started fast, taking a 14-7 lead in the opening minutes.Randall led the early charge, converting two 3-point plays and a short jumperin the lane.
But Kentucky, behind the scoring of Wait and Laura Meadows, rallied towithin 20-19 with 8:41 remaining. The Lady Wildcats later took the lead at22-21 on Wait’s 3-pointer with 6:57 left.
Tennessee played better defense down the stretch in the first half. Kentuckywas held to seven points in the final five minutes, and Holdsclaw scored 14 ofthe last 15 Tennessee points to help the Lady Vols to a 39-32 halftime lead.
Randall added 19 points and Kristen Clement 13 for Tennessee. Holdsclaw alsohad nine rebounds and four assists.
Jaye Barnes added 19 points for Kentucky.
