No. 13 Kentucky Faces Quick Turnaround Thursday vs. North Alabama
LEXINGTON, Ky. – After putting together an impressive second half to soar to a season-opening win, the No. 13 University of Kentucky women’s basketball team faces a quick turnover Thursday as it plays host to North Alabama at 7 p.m. ET inside Memorial Coliseum.
Single-game tickets are $10 (all ages) in reversed seating areas, while general admission tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for children (ages 6-18) and seniors (age 65+). Children aged 5 and under do not require a ticket in general admission areas. Kentucky women’s basketball 2021-22 season tickets are on sale at UKathletics.com/tickets. For more on mobile tickets, visit UKathletics.com/mobiletickets. Thursday is Veterans Day at Memorial Coliseum as the program will honor all those who have served.
Regardless of vaccination status, all guests will be required to wear a mask while visiting Memorial Coliseum. Fans will not be required to show proof of vaccination to enter, but face coverings – covering the nose and mouth – are required for all fans as they watch the game from their seat and enter, exit, and move around Memorial Coliseum. Children 2 and younger will not be required to wear a mask. If spectators are unable to wear masks, they are encouraged not to attend in person for the sake of their health and the health of others.
Doors to Memorial Coliseum will open one hour prior to tip. All bags must adhere to the UK Athletics Clear Bag policy. All bags and items will be searched. To avoid additional touch points, fans are strongly encouraged to not bring unnecessary bags to Memorial Coliseum. More on UK Athletics’ Clear Bag policy can be found online, here.
Parking for games is available starting three hours prior to tip off in a majority of surface lots surrounding Memorial Coliseum, including the High Street Lot, East Maxwell Lot, Joe Craft Center Lot, College View Lot, Alumni Center Lot and Career Center Lot. The Cornerstone Garage and Parking Structure 2 open two hours prior to tip. The Gatton Student Center Lot is pay-to-park while all other parking options are free. The JCC Lot is primarily used limited mobility/handicap parking. No shuttles are being offered from any lot this season.
Thursday’s game will be broadcast live on SEC Network+ with Jeff Piecoro and Christi Thomas on the call. Darren Headrick will have the call on the UK Sports Network. Live stats and free live audio will be available online at UKathletics.com.
The first 20 minutes of basketball for Kentucky in 2021-22 was not what Kyra Elzy or anyone expected. Kentucky found itself trailing for most of the first half and faced a double-digit deficit several times. But as so often happens, Rhyne Howard made an incredible play with a half-court 3 at the buzzer at halftime to give UK its first lead of the game. Kentucky would never look back from there rolling to a 81-53 victory over Presbyterian.
Kentucky picked up right where it left off after Howard’s 3, scoring the first 19 points of the third quarter. The run was part of an overall 22-0 run for Kentucky, which was Kentucky’s largest since scoring 24 straight vs. Jackson State on Nov. 29, 2015. UK held Presbyterian scoreless for the first 5:52 of the second half and without a field goal for the first 6:58 of the third quarter. The Wildcats outscored Presbyterian 29-6 in the third quarter overall.
The Wildcats dished out 26 assists in the game, which was the most for a Kentucky team in a game since 27 vs. Western Carolina on Dec. 18, 2018. Kentucky had 50 points in the paint in the game, which was its most in a game since 50 against Belmont last season on Nov. 29, 2020. UK also had a 39-9 advantage in points off turnovers in the game.
Howard scored 15 points with four rebounds, seven assists, four steals and one block. She played a game-high 34 minutes. Redshirt junior Dre’una Edwards scored 20 points with six rebounds. Edwards was 9-of-11 from the field and 2-of-2 from the free-throw line. It was the fourth career time she has led UK in scoring in her career. Sophomore wing Treasure Hunt had a career day for Kentucky, scoring 19 points with nine rebounds, five assists and a block. Hunt went 7-of-11 from the field in the game. Her 20 points, seven field-goals made, nine rebounds and five assists were career highs.
Thursday is the first ever meeting between UK and North Alabama in women’s basketball.
North Alabama enters Thursday’s game with a 1-0 record after an impressive season-opening win vs. Blackburn College on Tuesday. The Lions roared a 114-52 victory over BC, shooting 53.7 percent from the field with 16 3-pointers. UNA had 21 second-chance points, 48 points in the paint, 29 fast-break points and 41 points off turnovers. Six players scored in double figures with Julia Strachan earning 20 points with four 3s. Patrycia Jaworska had 18 points with seven rebounds. UNA went 7-18 last season. The Lions played one game against an SEC opponent, falling at Missouri 96-78.
For more information on the Kentucky women’s basketball team, visit UKathletics.com or follow @KentuckyWBB on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.
