UK ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC RELATIONS
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL POSTGAME NOTES
KENTUCKY VS. AUBURN
TUESDAY, JANUARY 25, 2022
AUBURN ARENA – AUBURN, ALA.
 
Kentucky 67, Auburn 55 – FINAL
 
Team Records and Series Notes

• Kentucky is 9-7, 2-4 in the SEC this season, while Auburn is 8-10, 0-7 in the SEC. 
  • This was the 51st all-time meeting between Kentucky and Auburn in women’s basketball.
  • Auburn leads the all-time series 26-25.
  • Kentucky leads the series in games played in Auburn, 12-11.
  • UK has won seven straight in the series and 14 of the last 15 meetings.
• Kentucky is in its 48th season with a 872-563 (.607) all-time record.
• Kyra Elzy is in her second season as the head coach of the Wildcats, holding a 27-15 overall record.
• Kentucky will be back in action Thursday, Jan. 27 vs. Vanderbilt inside Memorial Gymnasium. The game will tip at 8 p.m. ET on SEC Network+ and the UK Sports Network.  
  • UK is in a stretch of four games in eight days with three of those on the road. The stretch started Sunday vs. Ole Miss, then tonight vs. Auburn. It continues Thursday at Vandy and Sunday at No. 12/11 LSU.

 
Team Notes

• Kentucky used the starting combination of senior guards Jazmine Massengill and Rhyne Howard, redshirt junior center Olivia Owens, sophomore wing Treasure Hunt and freshman guard Jada Walker.
  • This is the third time UK has used this starting combination this season. UK is 1-2 in those games.
  • Rhyne Howard scored first for Kentucky in the game. It was the sixth time this season she has scored first.
  • Nyah Leveretter was the first sub for Kentucky. It was the third time she has been the first Wildcat off the bench.
  • Kentucky won the opening tip. It was the eighth time that UK has won the opening tip and the second time for Olivia Owens.
• Kentucky held a 20-10 lead at the end of the first quarter, marking the first time UK has scored 20 points in a quarter since Jan. 6 vs. Georgia.
  • UK went 8-of-17 from the field and limited Auburn to 3-of-13 from the field with two of those three being from long range.
  • UK made five of its first seven shots and them missed seven of its next 10.
  • Kentucky led 10-2 in paint points in the first quarter.
• Auburn won the second quarter by outscoring UK 13-9 and making the halftime lead for UK six at 29-23.
  • UK was just 3-of-18 from the field in the second quarter, while Auburn went 4-of-13.
  • Auburn did not have a field goal for the final 4:24 of the first half.
  • Kentucky went 5:06 without a field goal in the second quarter.
  • UK made just one of its last 11 shots in the second quarter, including two of its last 14.
  • Nine second-quarter points ties the fewest in the second quarter for UK this season. UK also had nine points in the second quarter at No. 1 South Carolina.
  • UK’s 29 first-half points was its most since having 39 against Georgia on Jan. 6.
• Auburn scored 17 points in the third quarter to cut the UK lead to 41-40 heading into the final 10 minutes.
  • UK was 6-of-17 from the field in the third quarter, while Auburn was 6-of-12.
  • After only six paint points in the first half, Auburn scored 10 in the third quarter alone.
  • UK missed its last five shots of the quarter, while Auburn made five of its last seven.
• Kentucky outscored Auburn 26-15 in the fourth quarter thanks to 17 points in the quarter from Rhyne Howard.
  • UK went 8-of-14 from the field in the fourth quarter, while Auburn was 5-of-16.
  • UK ended the game – the final 4:22 – on a 17-2 run, hitting five of its last six field goals.
  • Kentucky was 6-of-6 from the free-throw line in the fourth quarter.
  • Auburn made just one of its last nine field goals to end the game.
  • Prior to UK’s run to end the game, Kentucky has made just 2-of-11 from the field and Auburn made 8-of-12 to take a lead for the first time early in the fourth quarter.
• Kentucky won the points in the paint battle 24-22.
  • UK is now 17-0 under Kyra Elzy when it scores more points in the paint.
• UK is now 17-0 when it holds its opponents to 60 points or less and 22-3 when it holds its opponent to 70 points or less.

 
Player Notes

• Rhyne Howard scored 29 points in the game with nine rebounds, going 9-of-21 from the field and 5-of-12 from long range.

  • Howard scored 17 of her 29 points in the fourth quarter. In the final 10 minutes, she was 4-of-7 from the field, 3-of-4 from 3 with four rebounds.
  • For her career, Howard has scored 1,975 career points sitting third in UK history in points scored. She needs 39 more to tie A’dia Mathies for second. Howard ranks second in school history in career scoring average at 19.9, while she is fifth in field-goals made with 689, third in career 3s made with 241 and fourth in career 3-point field-goal percentage at 37.2. She is also fourth in UK history in steals per game at 2.393.
  • In 99 career games, Howard has …
    • Hit at least one 3 in 85 career games, including 12 times this season.
    • Made three or more 3s in 40 career games, including three this season.
    • Made five or more 3s in 14 career games, including twice this season.
    • Scored 10+ points in 88 career game, including 14 times this season.
    • Scored 15+ points in 72 career games, including 13 times this season.
    • Scored 20+ points in 54 career games, including 10 times this season.
    • Scored 25+ points in 29 career games, including three times this season.
    • Scored 30+ points in 8 career games, including one this season.
    • Led UK in scoring in 64 career games, including 10 times this season.
    • Led UK in rebounding in 52 career games, including seven times this season.
    • Led UK in assists in 36 career games, including seven times this season.
    • Led UK in steals in 42 career games, including 11 times this season.
    • Led UK in blocks in 39 career games, including eight times this season.
    • Has 21 career double-doubles, including four this season.
    • Has 1 triple double.
• Senior guard Jazmine Massengill scored 11 points, going 5-of-9 from the field and 1-of-2 from long range.
  • Massengill added four rebounds and four assists in the game.
  • Massengill has scored 10 or more points in five games this season, including five of her last seven games.  
  • This is the seventh time that she has led UK in assists in a game.
• Junior guard Emma King scored 10 points in the game with four rebounds, three assists and a steal.
  • The double-figure scoring game was a career high for King.
  • King’s 28 minutes was a career high.
  • King’s five field-goals made was a career high.
  • Her three assists tied a career high.
• Freshman guard Jada Walker recorded five steals in the game, which was a career high.
• Sophomore forward Nyah Leveretter scored four points with two blocks in the game.
  • The two blocks ties a career high.