Women’s hoops gets within two points in final minute before falling, 73-69.
Box Score
By STEVE BAILEY
AP Sports Writer
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Feb. 17, 2000) — Georgia’s Kelly Miller wasn’tabout to leave Kentucky’s home floor with a lossfor the second straight year.
The junior guard scored a game-high 23 points tolead the No. 3 Lady Bulldogs past the Wildcats73-69 on Thursday night.
Miller was 9-for-14 from the field, including 2-of-4from 3-point range, as Georgia (25-2, 10-1Southeastern Conference) won its 11th straightgame and avenged last season’s 80-76 loss atMemorial Coliseum.
“Kelly Miller came through big for them,” Kentuckycoach Bernadette Mattox said. “She made shotsfalling down, falling back and falling over.”
Despite Miller’s heroics, it took two free throws byDeana Nolan with nine seconds to play to finallyend any hopes of a Kentucky comeback.
The Wildcats (12-11, 4-7) trailed by as many as 14points in the second half, but cut the deficit to twowith 58 seconds to play. Following Coco Miller’smiss, Erica Jackson drove to the baseline butstepped out of bounds with 11 seconds remaining.
“In know Erica didn’t just jump out of bounds,”Mattox said. “I know there was a bump downthere. I just don’t know if it was big enough to drawa foul.”
Nolan then hit two free throws with nine seconds to play to seal the game forthe Lady Bulldogs, who are one victory away from equaling theirregular-season record.
Nolan finished with 14 points, making 5-of-10 shots, and had a game-highsix assists.
“We’ve got big play people who show up and make big plays,” Georgiacoach Andy Landers said. “They’ve done that all year. And the great thing is,its not just one person.”
Jackson scored 19 points to lead Kentucky. Tiffany Wait had 15 and LauraMeadows added 11 for the Wildcats, who have lost six of their last sevengames.
Kentucky trailed most of the game. But every time the Wildcats got hot andmade a run, Kelly Miller was there to throw water on the fire.
Trailing 38-25 at halftime, Kentucky opened the second half with a 9-2 runto cut the margin to 40-34. Kelly Miller’s steal and layup followed by a jumpshot in traffic pushed the lead back to 46-38 with 14:42 to play.
Georgia took its biggest lead of the game, 58-44, on Kelly Miller’s 3-pointermidway through the second half. A 10-2 run, capped by back-to-back3-pointers by Wait and Jackson, again cut the margin to only six at 60-54.
Kelly Miller hit another 3-pointer on Georgia’s next possession to increasethe margin to nine with 7:22 to play.
The Lady Bulldogs led 69-62 with 2:40 to play, but Kentucky again foughtback and pulled within 71-69 on Jackson’s steal and layup with 58 secondsto play.
The Wildcats got the ball back with 35 seconds left for a chance to tie thegame, but Jackson’s turnover on the baseline put a quick stop to the rally.
“We were determined to stop them on that last possession,” Kelly Millersaid. “I think we did a great job doing that.”
Georgia shot 52 percent for the game (30-of-58) and scored 23 points off21 Kentucky turnovers. The Wildcats shot only 43 percent (25-of-58) butmade 5-of-9 from 3-point range and 14-of-17 free throws.
