Kentucky-South Carolina Postgame Notes

Jan. 15, 2012

Recap | Box Score | AP Photo Gallery

Kentucky improves to 16-2, 5-0 SEC, while South Carolina falls to 14-4, 3-2 SEC.
- It is the first time in program history that UK has started conference play 5-0.
Kentucky is 29-18 against South Carolina all-time, and 9-13 when the game is played in Columbia.
- UK head coach Matthew Mitchell is 6-3 against the Gamecocks.
- This is UK’s first win in Colonial Life Arena since March 1, 2009 (70-53).
Coach Matthew Mitchell is 132-80 overall and 102-51 at UK.
Kentucky is 644-466 in 38 years of varsity play.
- The Wildcats are 137-213 all-time in SEC play, and 40-25 under the direction of Mitchell.
UK is 2-0 in SEC road games this season.
Kentucky plays again Thursday, Jan. 19 at 7 p.m. ET against Georgia in Athens, Ga.

Kentucky used the starting lineup of Amber Smith, A’dia Mathies, Bria Goss, Kastine Evans and Brittany Henderson. UK is 6-0 with this lineup.
- UK has started a freshman in 121-of-153 games in the Matthew Mitchell era, including 88 straight.
Kentucky held South Carolina scoreless for the game’s opening 5:04.
- Kentucky held South Carolina without a field goal for the game’s opening 6:36.
Sophomore forward Samarie Walker scored eight of UK’s final 10 points in the first half.
Kentucky trailed South Carolina 28-29 heading into the locker room.
- The Wildcats are 3-2 this season when trailing at the half.

Trailing 36-45, their largest deficit faced in SEC play this season, the Wildcats went on an 11-0 run to take a 47-45 lead.
The Wildcats went on a 20-4 run spanning from the 9:55 mark to the 3:53 mark to turn a 36-45 deficit into a 56-49 lead.
Finally, Kentucky outscored South Carolina 30-13 in the final 9:55 of the game.
Kentucky outrebounded South Carolina 19-18 in the second half.

Kentucky has beaten four top-25 ranked teams this season, including three top-10 teams, and is 4-1 vs. ranked teams.
Kentucky is 42-28 (.600) in games decided by 10 points or less in five seasons under Coach Mitchell.
- Kentucky is 4-1 this season in such games, with a seven-point win over No. 6/5 Duke, a three-point win at Florida, a one-point win over No. 6/7 Tennessee and a nine-point loss to No. 3/3 Notre Dame.
Kentucky forced 29 turnovers in the game.
- UK has forced double-digit miscues in 100 consecutive games. The Cats are 73-27 during that span.
- Kentucky has forced an SEC-high 547 turnovers this season (30.4 per game).
- Kentucky has forced at least 10 turnovers in 32 of 35 halves this season.
- Kentucky outscored South Carolina 32-11 in points off turnovers.
Kentucky won the turnover battle 29-18 (+11).
UK was 14-18 (.778) from the foul line.
After being outrebounded 11-22 in the first half, UK outrebounded South Carolina 19-18 in the second half.
The Wildcat defense recorded 13 steals, and has charted double-digit steals in 15 of 18 games.
Kentucky’s eight blocks are a new season high.
With two made 3-pointers, UK extended its streak of consecutive games with a triple to 275.
Attendance was 4,655.

Senior guard Keyla Snowden scored a team-high 15 points and had three steals. It was her third straight game in double-digit scoring.
Senior guard Amber Smith passed out a season-high tying six assists and has 398 for her career.
- Smith is two assists shy of tying Rita Adams for sixth most assists in a UK career. Smith is also two assists shy of becoming just the seventh player in UK history to register 400 assists in a career.
- Smith, similar to at Florida, was clutch at the free-throw line down the stretch, going 6-6 in the final 49 seconds of the game to seal the win.
Junior guard A’dia Mathies scored eight points, dished out three assists, blocked a career-high tying three shots and had three steals.
- Mathies’ eight points give her 1,208 points for her career and she is seven points shy of tying Stacy McIntyre at No. 15 on the UK all-time scoring list.
- Mathies had three steals, giving her 220 for her career. Mathies is now four shy of tying Sandy Harding at No. 8 on the all-time steals list.
Sophomore guard Kastine Evans scored five points and grabbed six rebounds, one shy of tying a season-high on the boards, and hit a big 3-pointer to tie the game at 45-45 at the 8:14 mark.
Junior forward Brittany Henderson had eight points and six rebounds, including a season-high four offensive rebounds, and was 4-5 from the floor.
Freshman forward/center Azia Bishop blocked three shots to give her 18 blocks for the season, the ninth most in UK freshman history.

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