Feb 19, 2002
CINCINNATI (AP) – Valerie King shook off a slow start to score 16 points andlead No. 25 Cincinnati to a 73-57 victory over Kentucky on Tuesday night.
The Bearcats (22-4) celebrated their return to the Top 25 by extending theirwinning streak to nine games.
Kentucky (8-17) has lost 11 straight.
King, a sophomore guard, reached 1,000 career points on a 3-pointer with8:08 left in the first half. Those were the first of 11 points she scored asCincinnati opened a 37-23 halftime lead.
Kentucky led 9-8 with 13:40 left in the first half, but K.B. Sharp scoredseven points in a 29-14 run for the Bearcats, who led the rest of the way.
Carolyn Alexander, a transfer from Kentucky, gave Cincinnati its biggestlead, 71-49, on a driving layup with 2:31 remaining. She finished with 10points.
Laura Wilder added 13 points for Cincinnati. Sharp had 11 points and agame-high 11 assists.
SeSe Helm led Kentucky with 26 points and 10 rebounds, but she was the onlyWildcats player in double figures. She has four season and five career double-doubles and has scored 20-plus points fourth straight games.
King shot 4-of-9 from 3-point range. She reached 1,000 points in just 58games, the second-fastest in Conference USA history.
The Cats will play host to No. 6 Vanderbilt on Thursday, Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. and will bid farewell to seniors LaTonya McDole and Niecee Patterson in Senior Night ceremonies.
