Jan. 7, 2010

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Team Records and Series Notes

• Kentucky falls to 12-2, 0-1 SEC, while Georgia improves to 15-0, 2-0 SEC.
• Tonight’s contest marked the first game UK has played against a ranked team this season.
• Kentucky is 12-17 all-time in SEC openers.
• Georgia leads the all-time series 32-11, including a 15-3 advantage in Athens. The Lady Bulldogs have won the last three meetings.
• UK Coach Matthew Mitchell’s career mark moves to 75-63, including a 45-34 record at Kentucky. Mitchell is 2-2 all-time against Georgia.
• UK owns a 587-449 all-time record in 36 years of varsity women’s basketball. Kentucky is 43-184 all-time in SEC play.
• Up next: Kentucky plays host to No. 17/16 Vanderbilt in the Wildcats’ SEC home opener Sunday, Jan. 10. Game time at Memorial Coliseum is set for 1 p.m. EST.

Team Game Notes

• Key Run: After Kentucky built a 60-56 advantage in overtime behind a bucket inside by Victoria Dunlap and two free throws by Amani Franklin, Georgia rallied to score the game’s final five points. UGA’s Ashley Houts, who scored a game-high 27 points, converted a basket in the paint before teammate Jasmine James knocked down a three-pointer at the top of the key with 17 seconds left for what proved to be the game winner.
• Kentucky’s overtime record slips to 21-23 all-time. UK Coach Matthew Mitchell is 4-3 all-time, including 2-2 at Kentucky.
• Kentucky shot a season-low 31.7 percent from the field (20 of 63). The Wildcats’ previous low came at Middle Tennessee (12/28/09) where UK shot 15-of-39 from the field (38.5 percent).
• Kentucky forced Georgia into a Lady Bulldog season-high 24 turnovers for the game. UK has frustrated foes into 20 or more miscues in 12 of 14 contests this season.
• Kentucky has recorded double-digit steal totals in each of the last 10 games and 11 times this season. The Wildcats grabbed 10 steals against Georgia.
• Kentucky hit three three-pointers against Georgia and has now hit at least one three-pointer in 201 consecutive games, dating back to 2003-04.
• Victoria Dunlap , Amber Smith , Amani Franklin , Carly Morrow, and A’dia Mathies started the game. It marked the 13th time in 14 games the group took the floor first for the Wildcats.
• The Georgia game marked only the third contest this season that has been decided by 10 points or less for the Wildcats. UK defeated UT Chattanooga 65-55 at home on Nov. 22 and dropped a 57-51 decision at Middle Tennessee on Dec. 28. UK is 22-21 during the Mitchell era in games decided by 10 points or less.

Individual Game Notes

• Junior point guard Amber Smith scored all of her team-high 15 points in the second half for Kentucky. With UK trailing 49-42 at 5:33 in the second stanza, Smith scored eight of UK’s next 14 points before overtime, including a pair of free throws with 2.1 seconds left in regulation. Smith has reached double figures in scoring in seven games this season. She handed out four assists against Georgia and is averaging 4.8 assists over her past 10 games.
• Junior forward Victoria Dunlap scored 12 points on 6-of-15 shooting from the field to go with a team-high seven rebounds and five steals. Dunlap has scored in double figures in 19 consecutive games. She has recorded at least one steal in 21 consecutive games. Dunlap has swiped three or more steals in each of her last nine games.
• Freshman A’dia Mathies added eight points with four rebounds in 28 minutes. She has pulled down at least four rebounds in 10 of 14 games this season.
• Sophomore point guard Crystal Riley scored a UK career-high seven points on 3-of-4 shooting to go with two steals and two blocks in 23 minutes.
• Sophomore guard Rebecca Gray did not travel with the team to Athens due to the stomach flu.