Dec. 28, 2014

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Team Records and Series Notes

• Kentucky improves to 11-2 to conclude nonconference play. Tennessee State falls to 3-8.  
  • This marks the sixth straight season UK has finished nonconference play with 11 or more wins.
• Kentucky moves to 723-488 (62.2) all-time in 41 seasons of varsity women’s basketball and 190-90 (67.8) in the month of December.
  • UK has won 19 of its last 21 games in the month of December.
• Matthew Mitchell is in his eighth season as the head coach of the Wildcats. He already ranks first on UK’s all-time wins list with 181 and his winning percentage is .728 percent.
• Kentucky improves to 392-144 all-time in Memorial, including a 102-16 record under Matthew Mitchell.
  • UK has now won 50 straight regular-season nonconference games in Memorial Coliseum, dating back to Dec. 19, 2008.
  • This was UK’s 10th-straight win at home which ranks as the ninth-longest home winning streak in program history.
• This was the fourth meeting between the programs since UK became a varsity sport in 1974-75.
  • UK leads the series 4-0, 3-0 in Lexington.
• UK is now 89-17 all-time against teams in the current alignment of the Ohio Valley Conference.
  • Kentucky has won 36 straight against the OVC, including three games this season (Belmont, Morehead State).
• Today’s attendance was 5,810.
• Next up: UK will open SEC play on Jan. 2 at Alabama. The game will be on the SEC Network+ with coverage beginning at 3 p.m. ET.

First Half Notes

• UK started with the lineup of Janee Thompson, Kyvin Goodin-Rogers, Linnae Harper, Makayla Epps and Azia Bishop.
  • It marked the fourth different starting five of the season.
  • UK was without Bria Goss (broken thumb) and Jen O’Neill (left knee) today.
  • Marked Epps’ first start since Dec. 22, 2013 vs. Duke.
  • Marked Harper’s second straight starting assignment.
• Sophomore Linnae Harper and freshman Alexis Jennings led UK with 12 points and four rebounds apiece in the first half.
• Trailing 18-10, Kentucky went on a 20-2 run with four different Wildcats scoring to take a 32-22 lead.
  • UK held TSU scoreless for 5:25 before TSU snapped the run.
• Senior Azia Bishop tied her career high with five blocks in the first half.
  • Also added four points, three rebounds, two assists and a steal.
• Kentucky went 16-of-39 from the floor (41.0) and 2-of-10 (20.0) from 3-point range.
• UK is now 6-0 when leading at the half.

Second Half Notes

• UK began the second half with the same starting five.
• Freshman Alexis Jennings scored 15 of her 27 points in the second half.
• UK went 12-of-32 from the floor, shooting 37.5 percent.
• Tennessee State went on a 15-5 run to pull to within four points at 65-61 with 7:55 remaining before the Wildcats closed the game on a 23-14 run.

Team/Game Notes

• UK charted a season-high nine blocks and 17 steals.
• Kentucky forced 29 turnovers and has now forced 20 or more in 12 of 13 games this season, including six straight.
  • UK scored 36 points off of turnovers, to TSU’s 11 points.
• The Wildcats outscored TSU 32-28 in bench points.  
• The Wildcats had 21 offensive rebounds, compared to TSU’s 12, the third-most offensive boards of the season.
• UK had 50 points in the paint, tying its season high (Appalachian State, Morehead State).
• UK improves to 317-21 since 1974 when scoring 80 or more points.
  • The Cats are now 71-3 under Mitchell when scoring 80 points or more.

Individual Notes

• Freshman Alexis Jennings came off the bench to score a career-high 27 points, while grabbing a team-high tying eight rebounds.
  • Marked her fourth straight game with double digits and fifth of the season.
  • Has recorded new career highs in the last two games.
  • Had all three of UK’s 3-pointers, going 3-of-4 from beyond the arc. Her three 3-pointers were a career-high.
  • Hit 8-of-12 from the free throw line.
  • Took a critical charge to give UK momentum back after TSU had pulled within single digits in the second half, marking her first drawn charge of the season.
• Senior Azia Bishop blocked a career-high six blocks, including five in the first half.
  • Marks the most blocks since De’Nesha Stallworth had seven last season vs. Texas A&M. 
  • Added a career-high three assists to go along with six points, four rebounds and two steals.
• Sophomore Linnae Harper added 17 points in her first second career start, while grabbing a team-high tying eight rebounds and a career-high six assists.
  • Marked her ninth double figure scoring game of the season and 23rd overall.
  • Marked her fifth game with at least eight rebounds.
  • Grabbed a team-high six offensive rebounds, just one shy of her career high
• Sophomore Makayla Epps scored 16 points, marking her 10th double-figure game of the season.
  • Has scored in double figures in seven of the last nine games.
  • Went 6-of-8 from the free throw line.
• Junior Janee Thompson played a game-high 35 minutes and charted eight points, seven rebounds and seven steals.
  • Her seven rebounds tied her career high, and set a new career high with six defensive boards.
  • Swiped a career-high seven steals.
    • Marked the most steals in a game since A’dia Mathies had nine vs Nebraska-Omaha on Nov. 23, 2011.
  • Had five assists and went 4-of-4 from the free throw line.