Box Score
Malibu, Calif. – Junior LaTonya McDole (Dayton, Ohio) and sophomore Rita Adams (East St. Louis, Ill.) notched 12 points each, but it wouldn’t be enough however, as Missouri defeated Kentucky 86-51 in the first round of the Pepperdine Classic on Saturday.
Missouri (3-0) jumped out to an 11-0 lead before Kentucky (1-0) hit its first field goal five minutes into the game. The Cats’ shooting slump continued throughout the first half and the Tigers took a 38-20 halftime lead. UK hit only 8-of-22 in the first half for a dismal 25 percent compared to the Tigers’ 54 percent (14-of-26).
“Defensively we didn’t play well and we didn’t execute our offense,” UK Coach Bernadette Mattox said. “We were taking quick shots and looked like we were in a hurry. We need to learn how to be poised and be patient.”
The second half proved to be much of the same as the Cats shot only 33 percent from the field (10-of-30). The Cats cut the Missouri lead to 16 points with 15 minutes remaining, but the Tigers rallied with an 8-0 run to pull back up by 24. Three Tigers notched double figures, led by Amanda Lassiter’s 19 points and 10 rebounds.
“Rebounding will be a key in tomorrow’s game versus Houston,” Mattox said. “We were outrebounded tonight and our freshmen have to understand how to block out and take care of the basketball.”
Missouri won the battle of the boards, 41-33, including a 31-19 advantage on the defensive glass. The Tigers turned the ball over 27 times compared to the Cats’ 26.
Freshmen Dasieka Hawthorne (Gulfport, Miss.) and Shambrica Jones (Yazoo City, Miss.) each charted career highs for UK with nine and five points, respectively. Adams recorded a career-high five assists while freshmen Alvine Mendeng (Dayton, Ohio) tied her career-high seven rebounds.
Kentucky will face Houston on Sunday, Nov. 26 at 4 p.m. ET in Pepperdine’s Firestone Fieldhouse. Houston (1-2) lost to Pepperdine in the first game of the tournament, 83-59. The last time UK played Houston was Nov. 30, 1991. The Cats lost at home to the Cougars, 76-70.
