KENTUCKY WBB POSTGAME NOTES
Kentucky at Washington State
Beasley Coliseum – Pullman, Wash.
Nov. 19, 2017
 
FINAL SCORE: No. 25 Kentucky 73, Washington State 68
 
Team Records and Series Notes
-Kentucky is now 4-0 this season.
-Matthew Mitchell is in his 11th season as head coach at Kentucky. He is the winningest head coach in program history at 245-100.
-Today’s game was the third meeting between Washington State and Kentucky in women’s basketball.

• UK is 3-0 in the series.
• Last season, UK recorded a 69-67 victory over the Cougars in Memorial Coliseum.
• This was the first game in Pullman, Wash.

-Kentucky is now 7-9 all-time against opponents from the current alignment of the Pac-12 Conference.

• WSU is the first of two Pac-12 opponents UK will face this season. UK will host Cal at Memorial Coliseum in December.

-The Wildcats entered The Associated Press Top 25 at No. 25 after starting the season 2-0. UK is receiving votes in the USA Today/Coaches’ Preseason Top 25, as the poll will not begin until next week. UK has been receiving votes or ranked in both preseason listings each of the last eight years.
-Kentucky will be back in action this Wednesday, Nov. 22 at 2 p.m. ET, returning home to face Morehead State in the final game of the Matthew Mitchell Classic. The game can be streamed live on SEC Network+, and will be broadcast live on the UK Sports Radio Network with Darren Headrick calling the action.
 
Team Notes
-Kentucky used the starting combination of senior Alyssa Rice, senior Makenzie Cann, junior Taylor Murray, junior Maci Morris and freshman Dorie Harrison.

• UK is 4-0 with that starting-five combination.

-Washington State got out in front early, taking a 6-2 lead to start the contest.

• The Cougars led 16-11 at the end of the first quarter.

-After trailing by as many as 11 with 3:36 to go in the first half, a late scoring surge from the Cats propelled by three big 3s from Cann helped the Cats cut to lead to just one point going into the break.

• UK went on a 12-3 run to end the second quarter.

-This was the first game UK has trailed at halftime this season.
-Coming out of the break, Morris hit a quick 3 to help Kentucky take its first lead of the game at 37-35.
-Kentucky started the third quarter on a 8-0 run, forcing a WSU timeout.

• Continuing from its run to end the first half, UK went on a 15-0 run overall.

-UK used four 3s in the third quarter to take a 56-48 lead at the end of the period.

• The Wildcats outscored WSU 22-13 in the third quarter.

-Washington State went on a 10-0 run of its own in the fourth to tie the game at 60 apiece.
-With a 69-68 lead, Morris got a huge steal with 0:55 left in the game for a breakaway and was fouled on the other end.

• Morris made both to put Kentucky up 71-68.

-The two teams were almost dead even in shooting percentage on the day, as UK went 27-of-65 (41.5 percent) and WSU went 29-of-70 (41.4 percent) in the game.
-UK capitalized on 12 forced turnovers, recording 17 points off those turnovers.
-Kentucky outscored the Cougars off fast break, 14-4 in the contest.
-An 11-point deficit was the largest UK has overcome this season.
 
Player Notes
–Maci Morris recorded a season-high 20 points in the game to lead UK in scoring.

• It was just the second 20+ scoring performance in her career.
• She scored 17 of her 20 points in the second half alone.
• Morris remained the only player on the team to score in double digits in every game so far this season.
• The junior went 3-of-6 from long range in the game, adding three huge 3-pointers in the third quarter.
• Morris entered UK’s top 10 all-time in 3-pointers made at No. 10 with 110 made.
• Morris added six rebounds, one assist and one huge steal in the contest.

–Taylor Murray had an impressive stat line with 13 points, seven rebounds and eight assists.

• Her eight dimes were a season high.
• It was the first time this season she’s had 5+ steals.
• She also recorded a season-high four steals in the game.

–Makenzie Cann posted her first career double-double with 15 points and 10 boards.

• Her 10 rebounds marked a career high for the senior.
• It was the sixth time in her career she’s scored 15+ points.

–Amanda Paschal added important minutes off the bench with eight points, three rebounds and three assists.

• The junior college transfer played 15 minutes in the contest.
• Paschal was 4-of-7 from the floor for a career-high eight points as a Wildcat.
• Her three assists were a career high as well.

–Alyssa Rice produced another balanced performance with nine points and eight rebounds.

• The senior has had at least eight rebounds and eight points in 3-of-4 games this season.