Freshman center Sarah Elliott charted her first career double-double to lead the Kentucky women?s basketball team over Nicholls State 106-51 Tuesday in Rupp Arena. Elliott led five Wildcats in double digits, scoring a career high 24 points. She also charted a career-best 10 rebounds. It was the second straight game UK had five players with double figure scoring.
The Wildcats (8-3) shot a season-high 60.9 (39-for-64) percent from the floor, including an 84.6 (22-for-26) clip from the free-throw line as all 11 players on the team scored at least two points. UK held Nicholls State (3-7) to just 30.8 percent from the field, as the Cats? bench out-scored the Lady Colonels? bench 61-30.
?It was a great win and a great team effort,? UK Coach Mickie DeMoss said. ?I thought that we did some really good things offensively and are executing well. We played well as a team. This team is growing up and we are playing better together.?
Elliott achieved her first career double-double with 10 rebounds to complement an impressive 9-for-10 shooting from the floor. Senior guard/forward Sara Potts moved into sole possession of 12th place on UK?s all-time scoring list with 15 points on 5-of-11 shooting, including three three-pointers. Potts brought down seven rebounds, while junior forward/center Jennifer Humphrey came one point shy of a double-double with 10 rebounds and nine points. Freshman guard Samantha Mahoney added 13 points, including a perfect 5-for-5 from the charity stripe. Danyelle Payne and Eleia Roddy chipped in 12 and 10 points, respectively.
Kentucky opened the game with a potent offensive touch, scoring the game?s first 19 points for a 19-2 lead. UK pushed its advantage to 22-5 at the 13:21 mark and Ten consecutive points by Elliott put the Cats ahead 32-10 with 9:44 remaining in the opening stanza.
?Sarah Elliott shot tremendously from the field,? DeMoss said. ?She certainly stepped up big tonight and finished her shots. I think she?s somebody that we will be looking for as the season progresses.? The Wildcats led 60-25 at the halftime intermission, shooting a blistering 66.7 (24-for-36) from the field. Three players registered double figure points at the break with Elliott shooting a perfect 6-for-6 from the field for a team-high 14 points at the break. Kentucky connected on 87.5 (7-for-8) of their free throws and the Wildcats blocked six Nicholls State shots in the opening period. Kentucky?s size made the difference in the first half, as UK out-scored Nicholls State 32-8 in points in the paint. The Cats held the Lady Colonels to just 29.4 (10-of-34) from the floor in the opening stanza.
UK carried the momentum of the first half into the second, scoring the first five points. The Cats extended their advantage to 40, 75-35, at the 12:16 mark and ended the game with the season?s largest winning margin of 55. UK?s 106 points were the most scored by a women?s basketball team at Rupp Arena and the most since defeating Morris Brown 106-32 Dec. 23, 2002.
Nicholls State was led by Marneisha Bryant, who scored 13 points and grabbed five rebounds.
Kentucky will break for the Christmas holiday before returning to action Tuesday, Dec. 28 to face Xavier. Tip off is set for 2 p.m. ET in Cincinnati?s Cintas Center. Fans can follow all of the action on WLXG AM 1300 with Chris Cross.
