Dec. 22, 2001
Lexington, Ky. – Sophomore center SeSe Helm recorded her second season and third career double-double, with a career-high 26 points and career-tying 13 rebounds. It wouldn’t be enough, however, as Kentucky fell, 78-72, to Evansville on Saturday in Memorial Coliseum.
The Wildcats (5-5) looked as if they would keep their three-game home win streak alive when they took their first lead of the afternoon on a free throw by Helm at the 13:57 mark in the first half. Evansville (5-5) fought off all of Kentucky’s advances, taking a 12-point lead at one point, 30-18, and a 43-34 lead into the half. UK was led by Helm’s 14 first-half points on 6-of-9 shooting. Senior LaTonya McDole grabbed her 26th steal of the season with 2:53 remaining in the half, joining UK greats Valerie Still and current assistant coach Leslie Nichols as the three players in school history who have recorded 1,000 points, 600 rebounds and 200 steals in a career.
“I can’t say enough about how well SeSe played,” UK Coach Bernadette Mattox said. “But we have to get everyone playing like that from the start. We have to figure out how to put two halves together. We have started slow the past three games and you can’t get behind against a senior-laden team like Evansville.”
Kentucky opened the second half with a 13-2 run, sparked by a three-pointer by freshmen Sara Potts to tie the game at 45 apiece with 15:57 remaining. A jumper by Helm then gave the Cats a 47-45 edge. EU’s Tami Masterson answered UK’s run with a three-pointer to reclaim the lead for the Purple Aces, 48-47. Helm, who also set career marks in field goals made (12) and attempted (20), tallied nailed another bucket at the 14:43 mark, giving UK back the lead, 49-48. EU then went on a 4-0 spurt to regain the lead and the Wildcats trailed the rest of the way, losing their first game of the season in Memorial Coliseum.
Evansville outshot the Cats at the free throw line, sinking 20 of 32 from the charity stripe to UK’s 6 of 13, and for the game, going 26-of-52 (50.0%) to Kentucky’s 30-of-70 (42.9%). The Purple Aces also claimed the battle of the boards, edging UK 41-38.
Five Purple Aces finished in double figures, led by senior Latasha Austin’s 18 points. UK guard Kristin Connolly came off the bench in the Wildcat effort, knocking down a career-high two three-pointers for the Cats to finish with 12. Potts, who leads UK in three-point field goal percentage, hit 3-of-10 from behind the arc for 11 points.
After a short break for Christmas, the Cats will travel to Hanover, N.H., on Dec. 28-29 to participate in Dartmouth’s Blue Sky Classic.
UK, who won the Dartmouth Tournament in 1997, will meet first-time opponent Southern Mississippi at 6 p.m. ET on Dec. 28 in the first round, followed by host Dartmouth and Lafayette at approximately 8 p.m. ET.
The consolation game will begin at 6 p.m., ET on Saturday, Dec. 29. The championship game is scheduled to start at approximately 8 p.m., ET.
