KENTUCKY WBB POSTGAME NOTES
Kentucky vs. Alabama
SEC Tournament Second Round
Bridgestone Arena – Nashville, Tenn.
March 1, 2018
 
FINAL SCORE: Kentucky 71, Alabama 64
 
Team Records and Series Notes

• Kentucky moves to 15-16 overall, 6-10 in Southeastern Conference play this season, while Alabama is 17-13, 7-9 SEC.
  • The Wildcats are 6-0 vs. Alabama in the tournament.
• The Wildcats will advance to the SEC Tournament Quarterfinals for the ninth straight season.
• Matthew Mitchell is in his 11th season as head coach at Kentucky. He is the winningest head coach in program history at 256-116.
• Kentucky is 35-38 all-time in the SEC Tournament.
• The Wildcats now lead the all-time series between the two programs, 30-17.
  • Kentucky also took the regular-season game between the two, winning 79-54 in Lexington on Jan. 25.
• Kentucky will be back in action tomorrow for the quarterfinals, taking on No. 2 Mississippi State at 1 p.m. ET on SEC Network.

 
Team Notes

• Kentucky used the starting combination of senior Alyssa Rice, senior Makenzie Cann, junior Taylor Murray, junior Maci Morris and freshman Amanda Paschal.

  • UK is 1-0 with that starting-five combination.
  • It was the first career start for Paschal.
• After being knotted at 8-8, Alabama ended the first quarter on a 10-0 run to take an 18-8 lead.
• The Wildcats opened the second quarter on an 8-0 run to come within two at 18-16.
  • UK held Alabama scoreless for the first 5:29 of the second quarter.
• Kentucky trailed 25-23 at halftime after outscoring Alabama 15-7 in the second quarter.
• After trailing by as many as nine in the third quarter, UK used an 10-0 run to take a 48-46 lead with 35 seconds left in the period.
  • UK led 50-48 at the end of the third quarter.
• Kentucky never trailed in the fourth quarter.
• In the final three quarters, UK outscored the Tide 63-46.
• After shooting just 9-of-29 (.310) from the floor in the first half, UK shot 16-of-24 (.667) in the second half.
• UK won the battle on the defensive glass, 26-21.
• Kentucky is 12-3 this season when scoring 70 or more points.
• The Wildcats dished out 17 assists in the win.
  • UK has had 14+ assists in eight of its last 11 games and are 14-3 this season with 14+ dimes.

 
Player Notes

• Maci Morris led Kentucky in scoring with 25 points for her seventh straight game with 20+ points.

  • Morris led the Wildcats with seven rebounds and six assists.
  • She now ranks No. 20 on Kentucky’s all-time scorers list with 1,196 career points.
  • The junior was 5-of-8 from beyond the arc.
    • Was 4-of-5 from 3 in the second half alone.
  • Now tied with Keyla Snowden for No. 4 on Kentucky’s all-time 3s made with 176.
  • Has scored in double figures in all but three games this season.
  • She is the only player in the league to score 20 or more points in seven straight games.
• Taylor Murray added 18 points, six rebounds and five assists in the win.
  • Her 17th game in double-figure scoring this season.
  • Her 13th game with 5+ assists this season.
  • It was her highest scoring performance since posting 23 at Missouri on Feb. 8.
• Alyssa Rice added important minutes, posting seven points, six rebounds and three blocks.
  • Her three blocks matched her most in an SEC game this season.
• Dorie Harrison scored eight points to go with three blocks.
  • Her three blocks were the most since she had five vs. Evansville.