Kentucky Women’s Basketball Postgame Notes
Kentucky vs. Alabama State
Memorial Coliseum – Lexington, Ky.
Wednesday, November 7, 2018
 
FINAL SCORE: Kentucky 87, Alabama State 35
 
Team Records and Series Notes

• Kentucky starts its season 1-0 after the victory, while Alabama State falls to 0-1.
  • The Wildcats will return to action Sunday at 7 p.m. ET inside Memorial Coliseum when they play host to Southern University. The game will be streamed on SEC Network+ while Darren Headrick will have the call on radio on the UK Sports Network.
• The Wildcats now lead the all-time series in games played against Alabama State, 2-0.
  • This was the first meeting between the two since UK earned a 75-46 win over the Lady Hornets in December 2006 in Memorial Coliseum.
  • Kentucky now leads the all-time series in games played against SWAC teams, 14-0. UK will play one more game this season against a SWAC team when it faces Southern on Sunday.
• This was the season opener for both Kentucky and Alabama State.
  • Kentucky has now won 10 straight season openers and home openers dating back to 2008.

• Kentucky is receiving votes in the USA Today/Coaches Preseason Top 25 and is scheduled to play 14 games this season against teams that are currently ranked in the USA Today/Coaches Top 25 and/or the Associated Press Top 25.

 
Team Notes

• Kentucky used the starting combination of senior guard Taylor Murray, senior guard Maci Morris, freshman guard Rhyne Howard, sophomore forward KeKe McKinney and sophomore forward Tatyana Wyatt.
  • Kentucky is now 1-0 this season when it uses this starting combination.
• The Wildcats took control of the game by outscoring the Lady Hornets 24-8 in the second quarter to take a 39-22 lead into the break at halftime.
  • Kentucky started the quarter with a 17-2 run led by consecutive 3-pointers from Maci Morris.
  • UK forced 15 turnovers in the second quarter and scored 19 points off those miscues. Kentucky had 10 steals in the second quarter alone.
  • Conversely, UK limited its mistakes in the second stanza with only two turnovers after seven in the first quarter.
  • The Lady Hornets had just five field-goal attempts in the second quarter.
• Kentucky went on a 12-0 run late in the third quarter to grab a 64-30 lead.
  • The run was generated by incredible play from UK’s freshmen, which scored 11 straight points during the run.
  • UK shot 52 percent (11-for-21) from the field in the third stanza.
  • The Wildcats continued their strong defense as well forcing 11 turnovers and scoring 15 points off those miscues.
• The Wildcats put together a strong fourth quarter defensively to run away with the game allowing Alabama State just five points.
  • ASU’s five points was just two off the school record for fewest points allowed in a game (3 points by Jackson State in 2015).
  • Kentucky started the fourth quarter on a 19-0 run. The run was the second 10-0 run or better for Kentucky in the game.

• Both of Kentucky’s freshmen scored 13 or more points, which is the first time in program history that two freshmen scored 13 or more in their varsity debuts.
• Kentucky forced Alabama State into 43 turnovers, which is the fourth most turnovers forced in a game in program history.
  • UK scored 51 points off those miscues.
  • It was the first time UK forced 40 or more turnovers in a game since a school-record 49 against Arkansas Pine-Bluff on Dec. 11, 2011.

• UK had 23 steals in the game, which is the sixth most steals in a game in program history.
  • It was the first time Kentucky had recorded 20 or more steals since 24 vs. Georgia Southern on Nov. 13, 2013.
• After allowing 14 points in the first quarter, Kentucky limited the Lady Hornets to single-digit points the next three quarters with eight in the second and the third and just five in the fourth.
• Kentucky played 11 players in the game with 10 scoring at least one points.

 
Player Notes

• Senior guard Taylor Murray scored a game-high 16 points adding five assists and six steals.

  • Murray has now led UK in scoring 17 times in her career and in assists 43 times in her career.
• Freshman guard Rhyne Howard scored 15 points in the game, adding six rebounds, three assists, three blocks and two steals.
  • Howard’s 15 points were the fifth most in a player’s varsity debut in program history.
• Freshman guard Blair Green had 13 points in the game, going 5-of-10 from the field and 1-of-3 from long range.
  • Green’s 13 points tied the seventh most in a player’s varsity debut in program history.
• Senior guard Maci Morris scored 11 points going 3-of-6 from long range.
  • Morris now has a 3-pointer in 14 consecutive games dating back to last season.