Feb. 12, 2009
AUBURN, Ala. (AP) – Whitney Boddie had 20 points and 10 assists, helping No. 5 Auburn overcome a second-half rally by Kentucky in an 81-69 victory over the Wildcats on Thursday night.
DeWanna Bonner added 17 points and nine rebounds for the Tigers (24-1, 9-1 Southeastern Conference), who led by 20 at halftime.
Kentucky (13-12, 3-7) wiped out most of that lead. Amani Franklin cut it to 59-53 with two free throws at the midpoint of the second half. The Tigers pushed it back to 14 with help from three baskets by Boddie but the Wildcats closed to within single digits one more time.
Amber Smith hit two straight 3-pointers to make it 77-69 with 2 minutes left, but Sherell Hobbs and Bonner both scored on drives to the basket to put it away.
Auburn shot 59 percent from the floor while limiting Kentucky to 41 percent.
Hobbs had 15 points for the Tigers while Alli Smalley scored 11 and Trevesha Jackson 10. Boddie, the nation’s assists leader, shot 9-for-13 from the field.
Eleia Roddy led Kentucky with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Franklin and Smith each scored 15 points while Victoria Dunlap added 13. Smith also had six assists.
Dunlap was held to four rebounds, five below her league-leading average.
The Wildcats, who have lost six of their last seven games, won the previous two meetings with Auburn.
The Tigers had used a series of drives and fastbreak layups to build a 27-5 run after the Wildcats managed to keep it even for the first seven minutes of the game. Auburn shot 62 percent in the first half and led 47-27.
The Tigers attempted only five 3-pointers in the game, making one.
Auburn got a pregame motivational speech from football coach Gene Chizik.
