Kentucky-Minnesota Postgame Notes

UK ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC RELATIONS

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL POSTGAME NOTES
KENTUCKY AT MINNESOTA
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 7, 2022
WILLIAMS ARENA – MINNEAPOLIS, MINN.
 
Kentucky 80, Minnesota 74 – FINAL
 
Team Records and Series Notes  

• The University of Kentucky women’s basketball program is in its 49th season with an 889-570 (.609) all-time record.   
  • The Wildcats are now 7-1 on the season. 
  • The Golden Gophers are now 5-4 on the season. 
• Kyra Elzy is in her third season as the head coach of the Wildcats, holding a 44-22 overall record.  
• This evening’s game marked the second all-time meeting between Kentucky and Minnesota.  
  • The Wildcats tied the series with the Gophers tonight, 1-1. 
• Kentucky will return home to host in-state rival Louisville on Sunday, Dec. 11 at 1 p.m. ET in Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center on ESPN. 
  • Tickets to the game are on sale for as low as 8 dollars. 
  • Fans are encouraged to Wear Blue. 

Team Notes  

• Kentucky recorded their first victory in a true road game against a Big Ten Conference opponent since Dec. 1, 2004, when the Wildcats won at Northwestern 70-63. 
• Tonight is the most points scored by Kentucky in a true road game against a nonconference Power Five opponent (80) since Nov. 19, 1998 at Ohio State (92) 
• Kentucky used the starting combination Jada Walker, Maddie Scherr, Robyn Benton, Blair Green and Adebola Adeyeye for the fourth straight game this season. UK is 3-1 using this starting combination.  
  • Minnesota won the opening tip. 
  • Jada Walker was the first player to score for Kentucky. 
  • Ajae Petty was the first substitute off the bench for Kentucky. 
• Minnesota scored first in the game on a jumper, but Jada Walker followed up with a layup. 
  • The Gophers went 5-of-5 from the field to start the game. 
  • Kentucky tied or trailed Minnesota through the first five minutes, until UK rallied an 8-0 run around the 5:02 mark.  
    • A pair of made free throws by Amiya Jenkins helped Kentucky take its first lead over Minnesota, 12-11, with 5:02 remaining in the first quarter. 
  • The Gophers responded with a layup, but the Wildcats hit them right back with a 10-0 run. 
    • UK took its biggest lead in the game up to this point, 22-13, with 1:56 remaining in the first quarter. 
  • Minnesota led the final two minutes of the first quarter, going on an 8-2 run during that stretch. 
  • Kentucky led Minnesota, 23-21, at the end of the first quarter. 
• The Wildcats opened up the second quarter on a 6-0 run, forcing the Gophers into a timeout. 
  • Minnesota scored back-to-back 3-pointers out of that timeout, but Kentucky put together another 6-0 run in response. 
    • UK led UM, 35-27, with 4:36 remaining in the second quarter. 
  • The Gophers began to chip away at the Wildcats lead, piecing together a jumper, a free throw and a layup over the next minute-and-a-half. 
    • Maddie Scherr snapped their streak with back-to-back free throws. 
  • The Gophers pieced together another jumper and a layup, getting within one point of the Wildcats. 
    • Maddie Scherr answered with a jumper, as Kentucky stretched its lead over Minnesota, 39-36. 
  • The Gophers then tied the game with the Wildcats, 39-39, with a 3-pointer. 
  • Jada Walker had the last points on a layup under the basket in the final 15 seconds. 
  • Kentucky led Minnesota, 41-39, at the end of the second quarter. 
• Minnesota made a pair of free throws to tied Kentucky, 41-41, to start the third quarter. 
  • Robyn Benton was responsible for UK’s first 10 points in the third quarter, including two 3-pointers. 
    • Thanks to her efforts, the Wildcats just barely held on to a lead until 6:40 remaining in the third quarter when the Gophers scored on a fastbreak layup, 48-48. 
    • The two teams tied again, 51-51. 
  • Kenned Cambridge had a long 3-pointer at the shotclock, then Robyn Benton drained a floater, as UK took a 56-51 lead over UM. 
  • The Wildcats held on to their lead the remainder of the third quarter as both teams went back-and-forth down the stretch. 
  • Blair Green knocked down a 3-pointer and Jada Walker made a free throw to close out the period, as Kentucky led Minnesota, 64-59, at the end of the third quarter. 
• Ajae Petty had a solid put back to start the fourth quarter, sparking a 6-3 run for Kentucky to begin the final stanza. 
  • Kentucky then went into a scoring drought with no field goals in more than four minutes through the middle of the fourth quarter, just four free throws by Benton and Walker. 
  • Minnesota went on a 7-2 run until there was one minute and 43 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. 
    • The Wildcats led the Gophers, 76-74, at the time. 
  • Both teams went scoreless, until Jada Walker scored a pair of free throws with 28 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. 
  • Minnesota couldn’t respond, as Benton got down the floor for a layup. 
• The Wildcats scored at least 80 points in a game for the third time this season. 
  • The Cats are 3-0 this season when scoring at least 80 points, while they’re 376-26 all-time when scoring at least that many. 
• Kentucky outrebounded Minnesota, 46-33 
• The Cats have forced their opponents to commit at least 20 turnovers in seven games this season, including the last seven straight games. 

Player Notes  

• Four players scored in double digits for the first time this season. 
  • The Wildcats are 6-1 when at least three players score at least 10 points. 
• Sophomore guard Jada Walker led Kentucky with 19 points. 
  • She has led UK in scoring five of eight games this season. 
  • She has scored in double digits in seven of eight games this season. 
  • She added five rebound, three steals and three assists. 
• Graduate guard Robyn Benton had 18 points, including a pair of 3-pointers. 
  • 12 of her 18 points came in the third quarter. 
  • She is the only Wildcat this season to score in double digits in every game this season. 
  • She added four rebounds, three assists and two steals. 
• Junior forward Ajae Petty had her second straight double-double on a career-high 16 points and a career-high tying 12 rebounds. 
  • The last time a player had back-to-back doubles doubles was Dre’una Edwards (18 points, 14 rebounds) against Mississippi State on March 3, 2022 and (13 points, 10 rebounds) against LSU on March 4, 2022. 
  • She added one assist and one steal.  
• Graduate guard Blair Green had 11 points, a career-high tying seven rebounds and one assist. 
  • She has scored in double digits in four of eight games this season. 
  • She has scored a 3-pointer in five straight games.  
• Junior guard Maddie Scherr filled her stat line, recording six points, five rebounds, five assists, five steals and two blocks.