Kentucky-Virginia Tech Postgame Notes

UK ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC RELATIONS

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL POSTGAME NOTES
KENTUCKY VS. NO. 14/14 VIRGINIA TECH
MONDAY, NOV. 21, 2022
BAHA MAR GRAND BALLROOM – NASSAU, BAHAMAS
 
Kentucky 74, No. 14/14 Virginia Tech 82 – FINAL
 
Team Records and Series Notes  

• The University of Kentucky women’s basketball program is in its 49th season with an 886-570 (.609) all-time record.   
  • The Wildcats are now 4-1 on the season, sustaining their first loss of the year. This was UK’s first game away from Memorial Coliseum, sitting 4-0 at home.  
  • Virginia Tech is now 4-0 on the season, improving to 128-69 under seventh-year head coach Kenny Brooks.  
• Kyra Elzy is in her third season as the head coach of the Wildcats, holding a 41-22 overall record.  

• This was the third all-time meeting between Kentucky and Virginia Tech in women’s basketball with the Hookies now holding a 2-1 series lead.  
  • It marked the first meeting between the two teams in 33 years. 
  • This was the first meeting between the two teams in a neutral-site game as both previous meetings were in Lexington, Ky.  
• VT was the first ranked opponent that UK has faced this season.  
• Kentucky will face Dayton in its final game of the Baha Mar Hoops Pink Flamingo Championship in the Bahamas on Wednesday, Nov. 23 at 4:30 p.m. ET. 
  • The game will be available on the UK Sports Network and online through subscription on FloHoops.com.  

Team Notes  

• Kentucky used the starting combination Jada Walker, Maddie Scherr, Robyn Benton, Blair Green and Adebola Adeyeye for the first time this season.  
  • Virginia Tech won the opening tip, marking the first time this season that UK has lost the opening tip. 
  • Jada Walker was the first Kentucky player to score in the game. 
    • It was the first time this season that she has been the first Wildcat to score in a game.  
  • Ajae Petty was the first sub off the bench for Kentucky.  
    • This was the first time this season that Petty was the first UK sub to enter the game. She entered for Green, who picked up two early fouls.  
• After being outscored 29-8 in the first quarter, Kentucky outscored the Hookies 66-53 the remainder of the way.  
  • In the second half, UK scored 51 points, shooting 55.9 percent from the field and going 2-of-5 from long range.  
  • UK had 30 points in the paint in the second half and 21points off turnovers in the second half.  
  • In comparison, UK 18 paint points and eight points off turnovers in the first half.  
• Virginia Tech won the rebounding battle against Kentucky, 43-23, including a 13-11 edge in offensive rebounds and had 19 second-chance points.  
• UK had a 48-40 edge in paint points in the game and a 29-14 edge in points off turnovers.  
  • UK is now 3-1 this season when it wins the battle in paint points.  
• This was the first time this season that UK has trailed at halftime.  
• Virginia Tech’s 82 points were the most UK has allowed in a game this season. 
• This was the first time Kentucky has been outrebounded this season.  
• UK committed fewer turnovers than VT in the game and has recorded fewer turnovers in every game they have played this season.  
  • UK has forced 20 or more turnovers in four of its five games this season. 
• Nine of UK’s 10 players that played in the game scored for the Wildcats.  

• Virginia Tech opened the game with a 3-pointer. 
  • Jada Walker responded with a layup as the two teams went back-and-forth, as the Hokies led the Wildcats, 5-4, at 7:54. 
  • The Hokies then went on an 8-0 run midway through the quarter. 
  • Robyn Benton capped their scoring streak with a jumper at 3:34. 
  • The Hokies went on another 9-0 run. 
  • Eniya Russell capped their scoring streak with a layup under the minute mark. 
  • The Hokies capped the first quarter with a 7-0 run. 
  • Virginia Tech led Kentucky, 29-8, at the end of the first quarter. 
• The Hokies scored first to start the second quarter. 
  • Blair Green followed up with a jumper at 9:15. 
  • Tech had a couple layups, before Maddie Scherr went on a 4-0 run for herself, as Kentucky began to chip away at Tech’s lead, 35-14. 
  • The Hokies responded with a 7-0 run under the five-minute mark. 
  • The Wildcats capped the second quarter on a 9-2 run. 
  • Tech led Kentucky, 44-23, at halftime. 
• Kentucky won the third quarter 26-23, shooting 64.7 percent from the field.  
  • The Wildcats went 11-of-17 overall in the quarter and did not attempt a 3-pointer.  
  • Eighteen of Kentucky’s 26 third-quarter points were in the paint and the scoring was balanced with six players scoring.  
  • Petty scored eight points in the third quarter on 4-of-4 shooting, while Walker had five and Benton and Green had four each.  
  • VT shot 57.1 percent in the third quarter, going 8-of-14.  
  • The Hookies still controlled the rebounding margin in the third quarter 9-6 with eight second-chance points.  
• The Wildcats dominated the fourth quarter 25-15 to cut the deficit to single digits, however, UK could never get closer than six points, falling 82-74.  
  • UK had 13 points off turnovers in the fourth quarter, forcing nine VT miscues in the final 10 minutes alone.  
  • Walker was the leading scorer for UK in the fourth quarter, scoring eight points.  
  • UK was a perfect 7-for-7 from the free-throw line in the fourth quarter. 
  • UK won the rebounding battle 10-8 in the fourth quarter.  
  • In the quarter, UK had a 17-2 run to get the lead to single digits.  
  • Virginia Tech shot 30.8 percent from the field in the fourth quarter.  
  • UK hit two 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, its only 3s of the game.  

Player Notes  

• Jada Walker led Kentucky in scoring for the third time this season, scoring 17 points with four assists and five steals.  
  • The five steals ties a season high.  
  • This was the third time this season and 20th time in her career that she has scored 10 or more points in a game.  
  • This was the third time this season and 10th time in her career that she has scored 15 or more points in a game. 
• Robyn Benton scored 13 points on 5-of-15 shooting, adding two assists.  
  • This was the fourth time this season she has scored 10 or more points in a game and the 43rd time double-figure scoring game of her career. 
• Ajae Petty scored 12 points on 6-of-8 shooting with four rebounds.  
  • This was a season high in scoring for Petty.  
• Maddie Scherr led Kentucky in rebounding for the first time in her career, grabbing seven boards.  
• Adebola Adeyeye recorded her first career start for the Wildcats in the game.  
  • She scored two points with five rebounds and a steal.  
• Amiya Jenkins came off the bench to give UK a boost with seven points, going 3-of-5 from the free-throw line with four rebounds and two steals.  
  • The four rebounds was a career high, while the two steals ties a career high.  
• Blair Green scored nine points with a 3-pointer in the game.  
  • Green has hit at least one 3 in three of her last four games.