Nov. 19, 1999
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Five Wildcats scored in double figures as the University of Kentucky women?s basketball team defeated Austin Peay in its season opener 88-52.
Junior forward Laura Meadows led all scorers with a game-high 22 points and nine rebounds while sophomore LaTonya McDole added her first double-double of the season with 16 points and 10 rebounds.” Also netting double figures was freshman Rita Adams, who charted a career-high 12 points and six assists. Seniors Tiffany Wait and Shantia Owens both added 10 points apiece.
The Cats took a 46-31 halftime lead after struggling offensively early, but used its speed and a full court pressure to force 30 Lady Governor turnovers and outscore APSU 42-21 in the second half.” The Cats shot 50 percent from the floor.
?I knew it would be rough early because we were working on some different things,? UK Coach Bernadette Mattox said.” ?In the second half we really started to become more poised and we worn them down.?”
The Lady Governors kept the score close in the first half, leading 14-10 with 11:58 remaining.” APSU freshman Brooke Armistead netted 14 points in the first half, including 6-of-8 from the free throw line, to help fuel the Lady Gov charge.” However, the Cats found their offensive spark and hit 21-of-40 from the floor. APSU was 9-of-20 in the first half.
?Kentucky is really good, awfully good,? ASPU Coach Susie Gardner said.” ?We played them in their first game last year and they are much better now than they were in the first game last year.?
The Cats are now 4-0 all-time versus the Lady Govs and 19-7 in season openers.
UK will travel to Oxford, Ohio to play Miami (Ohio) on Monday, Nov. 22 at 7 p.m. before it faces preseason No. 1 Connecticut on Wednesday, Nov. 24 in the Coaches vs. Cancer Challenge in Hartford, Conn.
