UK ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC RELATIONS
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL POSTGAME NOTES
3-SEED KENTUCKY VS. 2-SEED MISSISSIPPI STATE
SEC TOURNAMENT SEMIFINALS
SATURDAY, MARCH 7
BON SECOURS WELLNESS ARENA – GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA 
 
No. 16 Kentucky 59, No. 9 Mississippi State 77 – FINAL
 
Team Records and Series Notes

• Kentucky is 22-8 on the year, while Mississippi State is 27-5. 
  • Kentucky finished the league season tied for third while the Bulldogs were second in the SEC.
• This was the 50th all-time meeting between Kentucky and Mississippi State in women’s basketball.
  • Kentucky leads the all-time series 28-22, including a 5-3 mark in neutral-site games.
  • Each of the last six meetings have been decided by 10 or more points.
  • Kentucky is 5-4 against Mississippi State in the SEC Tournament all-time, including a 2-2 mark under Matthew Mitchell.
  • This was the second all-time meeting in the semifinals of the event with each team now earning a win.
• Kentucky is 36-41 overall in the SEC Tournament, including a 17-13 mark under Mitchell.
  • This was the 16th all-time appearance in the semifinals for Kentucky, sitting 5-11 in semifinal games all-time. This is the 10th time Mitchell has led UK to the semifinals, sitting 4-6.
  • This was UK’s first semifinal appearance since 2018 when it fell 89-77 to eventual champion South Carolina. UK made eight straight semifinals from 2010-2018.
  • The Wildcats have won at least one game in the SEC Tournament 11 times under Mitchell.
  • This was the 11th time UK has been a top-four seed in the event and the 10th time UK has accomplished that under Mitchell.
  • UK is 1-1 all-time as a three seed in the event.
• Matthew Mitchell is in his 13th season as the head coach of the Wildcats.
  • Mitchell is 333-162 overall in his career and 303-133 during his tenure at Kentucky.
• Kentucky is ranked 16th in the latest AP Top 25 and 18th in the latest USA Today/Coaches Top 25.
• UK will await NCAA Tournament seeding. The selection show is Monday, March 16 at 7 p.m. ET

 
Team Notes

• Kentucky used the starting combination of senior guards Sabrina Haines and Jaida Roper, sophomore guard Rhyne Howard, junior forward KeKe McKinney and senior forward Ogechi Anyagaligbo. 
  • This was the eighth time this season that UK has used this starting combination, sitting 4-4.
  • Howard scored first for Kentucky in the game. This was the team-leading 10th time this season that she has been the first Wildcat to score. 
• The Wildcats had a double-digit lead by the end of the first quarter, outscoring the Bulldogs 22-12.
  • UK went 9-of-20 from the field in the first quarter, including 4-of-8 from 3.
  • Howard scored 11 points in the first quarter, going 5-of-9 from the field and 1-of-4 from 3.
  • UK forced MSU into four turnovers in the first quarter, scoring six points.
  • State was just 4-of-14 from the field in the first quarter and 0-of-4 from 3.
• Mississippi State scored the final bucket of the first quarter and scored the first six points of the second quarter to cut into UK’s double-digit lead, forcing Kentucky to take a timeout at 7:39 in the second quarter up 22-18.
  • The run continued after the timeout with Miss. State extending the run to 10-0 before a Roper leaner ended the draught around the six-minute mark.
• The Bulldogs outscored the Wildcats 20-13 in the second quarter and it would have been more if not for two free throws from Howard and a 3-pointer by Patterson under a minute to give UK a 35-32 lead at the break.
  • UK is now 19-3 this season when it leads at halftime. The other losses prior to tonight were to top-five ranked Louisville and vs. Florida at home.
• The Wildcats started just 2-of-10 from the field in the third quarter, while Mississippi State was 4-of-8 and took its first lead of the game at 41-39 with 4:31 to go in the third quarter.
• State made their final five field goals of the third quarter, including a 3-pointer at the buzzer to take a 52-47 lead into the fourth quarter.
  • Overall, the Bulldogs were 9-of-15 from the field in the third quarter.
  • The Wildcats were outrebounded 12-4 in the quarter.
• MSU started the fourth quarter on a 6-0 run to grab its first double-digit lead of the game at 58-47 with 8:00 to go and never looked back.
• After starting 9-of-20 from the field, the Wildcats went just 13-of-44 the rest of the way for 29 percent.
  • UK was 4-of-8 from 3 after the first quarter but went just 2-for-16 the rest of the way to finish the game 6-for-24.
• Kentucky has hit 252 3-pointers this season which is the most 3s hit in a season in program history. 

 
Player Notes

• Sophomore guard Rhyne Howard scored 26 points with seven rebounds.    

  • Howard has 1,158 career points, sitting 27th all-time in scoring in program history.
    • Howard needs 12 more to tie Jocelyn Mills is 26th on the list at 1,170.
  • Howard has hit 158 career 3-pointers, which ranks eighth most in program history.
    • Howard needs 4 more makes from 3 to tie Jenny Pfeffier for seventh all-time on that list at 162 makes.
  • Howard has hit 84 3-pointers this season, ranking first on the UK single-season list.
  • Howard scored 17 first-half points marking the first time she had done that since scoring 17 at Alabama back in early January.
  • Howard has scored 20 or more points in 16 of her last 17 games.
  • In 59 career games, Howard has recorded some impressive numbers:
    • Hit at least one 3 in 53 career games, including 26 games this season.
    • Made three or more 3s in 26 games, including 14 games this season.
    • Made five or more 3s in 11 games, including 6 games this season.
    • Scored 10+ points in 52 games, including 26 games this season.
    • Scored 15+ points in 43 games, including 21 games this season.
    • Scored 20+ points in 31 games, including 21 games this season.
    • Scored 25+ points in 19 games, including 13 games this season.
    • Scored 30+ points in 3 games – all happening this season.
    • Led UK in scoring in 38 games, including 22 games this season.
    • Led UK in rebounding in 33 games, including 14 games this season.
    • Led UK in assists in 16 career games, including 10 games this season.
    • Led UK in steals in 23 career games, including 15 games this season.
    • Led UK in blocks in 22 career games, including 13 games this season.
• Junior guard Chasity Patterson scored 13 points.
  • Patterson led UK with two steals and has led UK in steals in five games.
  • Patterson has had two or more steals in seven games this season
  • Patterson has scored 10 or more points in 10 games this season