Jan. 12, 2012

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Team Records and Series Notes

• Kentucky improves to 15-2, 4-0 SEC, while Tennessee falls to 12-4, 3-1 SEC.
  • It is the first time in program history that UK has started conference play 4-0.
  • It is just the second time in program history, and the first time since 1982-83, that UK has defeated three top-10 ranked opponents in one season. Kentucky defeated No. 10 Louisville and No. 6 Duke earlier this season.
• Kentucky is 8-48 against Tennessee all-time and 6-21 when the game is played in Lexington.
  • UK head coach Matthew Mitchell is 2-7 against the Lady Vols.
  • The win snaps a four-game losing streak to Tennessee.
• Coach Matthew Mitchell is 131-80 overall and 101-51 at UK.
• Kentucky is 643-466 in 38 years of varsity play.
  • The Wildcats are 136-213 all-time in SEC play, and 39-25 under the direction of Mitchell.
  • UK is 24-9 in SEC home games under Mitchell, including 17-2 over the last three seasons.
• UK is 43-2 in Lexington over the past three seasons.
  • UK is 352-140 (.715) at Memorial Coliseum, including 62-12 (.836) under Mitchell.
  • Kentucky’s current 15-game home winning streak is the fourth longest in program history.
• Kentucky’s victory over Tennessee snaps the Lady Vols’ 36-game SEC winning streak.
• Kentucky plays again Sunday, Jan. 15 at 3 p.m. ET against South Carolina in Columbia, S.C.

First Half Notes

• Kentucky used the starting lineup of Amber Smith, A’dia Mathies, Bria Goss, Kastine Evans and Brittany Henderson. UK is 5-0 with this lineup.
  • UK has started a freshman in 120-of-152 games in the Matthew Mitchell era, including 87 straight.
• Trailing 2-4, Kentucky went on an 8-2 run to take a 10-6 lead at the 14:26 mark.
• Both teams hit a lull midway through the half as neither Kentucky nor Tennessee scored from 10:06 to 4:47, a span of 5:19.
• Kentucky held Tennessee scoreless for 9:00, and without a field goal for the final 10:06 of the half.
• Kentucky led 25-21 heading into the locker room.
  • Tennessee’s 21 first-half points are a season low for the Lady Vols.
  • It was the sixth time this season, and second straight game, that Kentucky held an opponent to 21 points or fewer in the first half.
  • The Wildcats are 13-0 this season when leading or tied at the half.

Second Half Notes

• A jumper by Tennessee forward Glory Johnson at the 19:22 mark in the second half ended a drought of 10:44 without a field goal.
• Leading 41-37 at the 11:03 mark, Keyla Snowden hit a 3-pointer, followed by a four-point play by A’dia Mathies who hit a 3-pointer while being fouled. The 7-0 run gave UK a 48-37 lead with 9:23 to go.
• UK held its largest lead of the game (12 points) after a pair of free throws by Mathies with 7:46 left in the game.
• Tennessee grabbed a lead at the 2:38 mark, its first lead since the 4:47 mark in the first half.
• A’dia Mathies hit the game-winning basket, a leaning jumper in the lane, with just over four seconds left to give UK the victory.

Team/Game Notes

• Kentucky is 41-28 (.594) in games decided by 10 points or less in five seasons under Coach Mitchell.
  • Kentucky is 3-1 this season in such games, with a seven-point win over No. 6/5 Duke, a three-point win at Florida, and a nine-point loss to No. 3/3 Notre Dame.
• Kentucky forced 20 turnovers in the game.
  • UK has forced double-digit miscues in 99 consecutive games. The Cats are 72-27 during that span.
  • Kentucky has forced an SEC-high 518 turnovers this season (30.5 per game).
  • Kentucky has forced at least 10 turnovers in 30 of 33 halves this season.
  • Kentucky outscored Tennessee 20-17 in points off turnovers.
• Kentucky won the turnover battle 20-16 (+4).
• Kentucky shot 34.5 percent from the field, tying a season-low field goal percentage in a victory.
• The Wildcats’ defense held Tennessee to just two made 3-point field goals. The Lady Vols entered Thursday’s contest averaging 6.6 3-pointers per game, the second best mark in the conference.
• With four made 3-pointers, UK extended its streak of consecutive games with a triple to 274.
• Attendance was 7,961.
  • Thursday’s crowd was the sixth largest in Memorial Coliseum history.

Individual Notes

• Junior guard A’dia Mathies scored a career-high 34 points, and grabbed nine boards, one shy of tying a career high. Mathies also dished out two assists, blocked two shots and had two steals.
  • A’dia Mathies’ 34 points are the most points scored by a UK player since Dec. 20, 1987, when Bebe Croley scored 40 points vs. Morehead State.
  • The last time a UK player scored more than 30 points in a game was Dec. 7, 2010, when Victoria Dunlap scored 30 points vs. Tennessee Tech.
  • Mathies has recorded three straight games of 20 or more points.
  • It is the second 30-point game of Mathies’ career.
  • Mathies has reached double figures in scoring in 14 of 16 games played this season.
  • Mathies now has 15 20-point games in her career, and seven this season.
  • Mathies’ 34 points give her 1,200 points for her career and move her up to No. 16 on the UK all-time scoring list. She is 15 points shy of tying Stacy McIntyre at No. 15 on the UK all-time scoring list.
  • Mathies had two steals, giving her 217 for her career. Mathies is now seven shy of tying Sandy Harding at No. 8 on the all-time steals list.
• Senior guard Keyla Snowden scored 11 points and had a career-high four steals.
• Freshman guard Bria Goss scored eight points, and grabbed three rebounds.
  • Goss hit one 3-pointer and has 22 for the season, the ninth most among all UK freshmen in program history.
• Senior guard Amber Smith passed out one assist and has 392 for her career.
  • Smith is eight assists shy of tying Rita Adams for sixth most assists in a UK career. Smith is also eight assists shy of becoming just the seventh player in UK history to register 400 assists in a career.