Jan. 26, 2012

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Team Records and Series Notes

• Kentucky improves to 19-2, 8-0 SEC, while Auburn falls to 10-11, 2-6 SEC.
  • It is the first time in program history that UK has started conference play 8-0.
  • Kentucky’s 19-2 start ties its best start in program history through the first 21 games. Kentucky’s best start to a season was in 1982-83 (21-2).
  • Kentucky has now won a school-record 11 straight conference games dating back to last season.
  • UK has now won a school-record six-straight conference road games dating back to last season.
• Kentucky is 16-25 against Auburn all-time, and 7-10 when the game is played in Auburn.
  • UK head coach Matthew Mitchell is 6-2 against the Tigers.
  • Thursday night’s win is Kentucky’s fourth in a row over the Tigers and its second straight win over Auburn on the Plains.
• Coach Matthew Mitchell is 135-80 overall and 105-51 at UK.
• Kentucky is 647-466 in 38 years of varsity play.
  • The Wildcats are 140-213 all-time in SEC play, and 43-25 under the direction of Mitchell.
• UK is 4-0 in SEC road games this season.
• Kentucky plays again Sunday at 2 p.m. ET vs. Alabama at Memorial Coliseum. The game will be televised by CSS and is Kentucky’s annual Alumni Day.

First Half Notes

• Kentucky used the starting lineup of Amber Smith, A’dia Mathies, Bria Goss, Kastine Evans and Brittany Henderson for the sixth straight game. UK is 9-0 with this lineup.
  • UK has started a freshman in 124-of-156 games in the Matthew Mitchell era, including 91 straight.
• Trailing 16-11, Kentucky went on an 18-0 run to take a 29-16 lead at the 3:02 mark, the largest run against an SEC opponent for the Wildcats this season
  • Five different Wildcats (Conwright, Evans, Mathies, Pinkett and Smith) scored during the run.
• Kentucky held Auburn scoreless for 8:25, spanning from the 10:13 mark to the 1:48 mark.
• Kentucky forced 16 first-half turnovers, tied for the most forced turnovers in the first half this season (Mississippi State, 1/8/12).
• The Wildcats had 17 more shot attempts than Auburn.
• Kentucky led Auburn 31-20 heading into the locker room.
  • The Wildcats are 15-0 this season when leading or tied at the half.
  • It was the fewest points scored in the first half by an SEC opponent this season.

Second Half Notes

• The Tigers cut Kentucky’s lead to seven at 33-26 before the Wildcats went on an 11-0 run to take a 44-26 lead at the 14:00 mark.
• The Tigers cut Kentucky’s lead to a dozen at 46-34, but a 7-0 UK run pushed it back to 53-34 and Auburn would get no closer than 16 the rest of the way.

Team/Game Notes

• Kentucky forced 30 turnovers in the game.
  • UK has forced double-digit miscues in 103 consecutive games. The Cats are 76-27 during that span.
  • The 30 forced turnovers are the most in league play in the Matthew Mitchell era.
  • Kentucky has forced an SEC-high 613 turnovers this season (29.19 per game).
  • Kentucky has forced at least 10 turnovers in 36 of 42 halves this season.
• Kentucky won the turnover battle (13-30).
  • UK has forced at least 20 turnovers in 19 of 21 games this season.
  • UK is 8-0 this season when forcing 30 or more turnovers.
• UK got great production from its bench, outscoring Auburn’s bench 30-18.
  • The Wildcats are 17-1 when its bench outscores the opponent’s bench.
• The Wildcats outrebounded Auburn 38-34.
  • UK has won or tied the rebounding battle in 15 of 21 games, including eight by more than 10.
• With six made 3-pointers, UK extended its streak of consecutive games with a triple to 278.
• Kentucky outscored Auburn 38-10 in points off turnovers. The +28 margin is UK’s second largest this season in conference action.
• Attendance was 2,788.

Individual Notes

• Junior guard A’dia Mathies scored a team-high 20 points, including three 3-pointers, while also dishing out a team-high tying three assists.
  • Mathies’ 20 points give her 1,237 points in her career. She is 15th on the all-time scoring list and is 102 points shy of tying Belitta Croley at No. 14 all-time.
  • Mathies had one steal, giving her 223 in her career. Mathis is now one steal shy of tying Sandy Harding at No. 8 on the all-time steals list. Mathies has recorded at least one steal in 21 straight games.
  • Has scored 20 or more points in eight games this season.
• Sophomore forward Samarie Walker grabbed a career-high 15 rebounds to go along with six points and two steals.
  • Walker’s 15 rebounds are the most by a UK player since Brittany Henderson grabbed 18 boards against Vanderbilt on March 5, 2011.
• Sophomore guard Maegan Conwright scored 10 points on 5-6 shooting.
  • Conwright’s 10 points are her most since the second game of the season when she scored 10 against Jacksonville State on Nov. 15.
  • Conwright’s five made field goals ties a career high.
  • Conwright’s 22 minutes played are her most since logging 25 minutes against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Dec. 11.
• Sophomore guard Kastine Evans scored six points, including a career-high tying two 3-pointers.
  • Evans has hit at least one 3-pointer in each of the last four games, and has hit two 3-pointers in each of the past two games.
• Freshman guard Bria Goss hit one 3-pointer to give her 26 for the year, and takes sole possession of No. 7 on the UK freshman 3-pointers made list.