Kentucky-FGCU Postgame Notes

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL POSTGAME NOTES
KENTUCKY VS. RV FLORIDA GULF COAST
SUNDAY, DEC. 18, 2022
MEMORIAL COLISEUM – LEXINGTON, KY.
 

Florida Gulf Coast 69, Kentucky 63 – FINAL
 
Team Records and Series Notes  

• The University of Kentucky women’s basketball program is in its 49th season with an 889-573 (.609) all-time record.   
  • The Wildcats are now 7-4 on the season. 
  • The Eagles are now 9-2 on the season. 
• Kyra Elzy is in her third season as the head coach of the Wildcats, holding a 44-25 overall record.  
• Florida Gulf Coast leads the all-time series with Kentucky, 2-0. 
• Kentucky will return home to host Ohio on Wednesday, Dec. 21 at 11 a.m. ET for the program’s Family Day. 

Team Notes  

• Kentucky used the starting combination Jada Walker, Maddie Scherr, Robyn Benton, Blair Green and Nyah Leveretter for the sixth game this season. UK is 4-2 using that starting combination.  
  • Kentucky won the opening tip. 
  • Blair Green was the first player to score for Kentucky. 
  • Emma King was the first substitute off the bench for Kentucky. 
• Kentucky turned the ball over three times in the first minute and 10 seconds of the first quarter, with Florida Gulf Coast going 3-of-3 from the field off those miscues to start the game. 
  • FGCU’s quick 6-0 run to begin the first quarter prompted UK to call a timeout at 8:49. 
    • Kentucky had the ball out of that timeout, but couldn’t score, as Florida Gulf Coast then came down to the court and made another layup, going 4-of 4 from the field for an 8-0 start to the game. 
  • Blair Green got an offensive rebound and made a second-chance jumper at 7:57. 
  • The two teams went back-and-forth in scoring over the next few possessions, until Kentucky enjoyed a 6-0 run to close the gap on Florida Gulf Coast’s lead, 13-10, with two minutes and 33 seconds remaining in the first quarter. 
    • Maddie Scherr launched the scoring run with a jumper, then Jada Walker drew a foul and knocked down both of her free throws, then Kennedy Cambridge got a steal and score. 
    • FGCU went scoreless for almost four minutes during that stretch. 
  • In the final minute of the first quarter, the Eagles broke their silence with a 3-pointer, then Cambridge recorded another bucket, before the Eagles had a last second layup. 
  • FGCU led UK, 18-12, at the end of the first quarter. 
• Kentucky forced Florida Gulf Coast to commit a turnover on the first possession to begin the second quarter, and Robyn Benton scored on a jumper off that miscue. 
  • The Wildcats kept the Eagles scoreless in the second quarter until a 3-pointer at 7:50, as FGCU improved its lead over UK, 21-14. 
    • In fact, FGCU’s next score was a 3-pointer, too, with Walker scoring on a single free throw between those two buckets from long. 
  • Kentucky then went on a 7-0 run, sparked by a couple buckets from Adebola Adeyeye and Benton. During that run, Benton also drew a foul on an attempt from long and made all three of her free throws. 
  • Florida Gulf Coast responded with a 5-0 run on a jumper and a 3-pointer. 
    • The Eagles led the Wildcats, 31-22, with four minutes and one second remaining in the second quarter. 
  • Kentucky then outscored Florida Gulf Coast, 9-6, in the remaining four minutes and one second. 
    • UK held FGCU with no field goals, just three free throws, in the final three minutes and seven seconds. 
  • The Wildcats led the Eagles, 37-31, at halftime.  
    • The Eagles capitalized on the Wildcats’ early mistakes in the game, scoring 19 points off turnovers in the first half. 
• Kentucky opened up the third quarter on a 7-2 run to get within one point of Florida Gulf Coast, 38-39, with seven minutes and 18 seconds remaining in the third quarter. 
  • Green and Scherr were responsible for the last five points of that run with a 3-pointer by Green, followed by a steal and an assist by Scherr, then a layup by Green. 
    • The run prompted FGCU to call a timeout. 
  • Green added two more points on a jumper out of the timeout, producing a 7-0 run for herself to help Kentucky take its first lead over Florida Gulf Coast, 40-39, at 6:39. 
    • FGCU responded with a 3-pointer, then Benton followed with a jumper to tie the game, 42-42, at 5:37 in the third quarter. 
    • Minus a couple free throws by Scherr at 4:16 and a couple more by Walker at :34, UK went scoreless from the field for more than five minutes since that jumper. Meanwhile, FGCU had just seven points during that five-minute stretch. 
  • Benton capped the third quarter with a 3-pointer at the buzzer. 
  • Florida Gulf Coast led Kentucky, 51-49, at the end of the third quarter.  
• The Eagles scored on a jumper to kick start scoring at 8:49 in the fourth quarter. 
  • The Wildcats responded with a 4-0 run to tie the game, 53-53, with six minutes and 12 seconds remaining. 
  • FGCU then went on a 9-2 run over the next five minutes (5:51-1:44). 
    • That run helped FGCU break the tie and earn a 62-55 lead under two minutes. 
  • Nyah Leveretter snapped their scoring run on a layup at 1:19, then Benton added a pair of free throws to remain perfect at the line in the game at 1:08. 
    • FGCU would lead by just one possession after that, 62-59. 
  • The Eagles had a shot blocked by Scherr on the other end of the court at :51, then Walker grabbed the defensive rebound and Benton went up for a 3-pointer to tie the game, but the shot was no good. 
  • Kentucky began to foul with 31 seconds remaining in the game, as Florida Gulf Coast made seven of its eight attempts down the stretch. 
    • During that time, Kentucky scored four points on a couple made free throws by Scherr (:14) and a layup by Kennedy Cambridge (:06). 
  • Florida Gulf Coast defeated Kentucky, 69-63. 
• Kentucky had its best free-throw percentage of the season, making 23 of its 25 attempts from the line (92.0 percent). 
  • Despite their success from the stripe, overall, the Wildcats had an off-shooting night, making a season-low 19 shots of their 58 attempts from the field. 
• Kentucky outrebounded Florida Gulf Coast, 38-29, and led FGCU in second-chance points, 14-6. 
• UK had 20 turnovers in the game, giving up 32 points off those miscues. Meanwhile, the Cats forced the Eagles to commit 19 turnovers and scored just 14 points from those errors. 

Player Notes  

• Graduate guard Robyn Benton led the team in scoring with 18 points. 
  • It marked the third straight game she has led the team in scoring. 
  • She has scored in double digits in all 11 games this season. 
  • She made at least one 3-pointer for the sixth straight game. 
  • She went a career-best 9-of-9 from the line.  
  • She added three rebounds, two steals, one block and one assist.  
    • She made at least one steal for the sixth straight game. 
• Sophomore guard Jada Walker had 14 points. 
  • She has scored in double digits in eight games this season. 
  • She went a career-best 8-of-10 from the line.  
  • She added five rebounds and two assists. 
• Junior guard Maddie Scherr had six points, a career-high nine rebounds, three steals, two assists and two blocks.  
  • She has made at least five rebounds in four straight games.  
  • She has made at least two blocks in four straight games.  
  • She has made at least three steals in two straight games.  
• Graduate guard Blair Green had nine points. 
  • Seven of her nine points were strung together in the third quarter to help Kentucky take a lead over Florida Gulf Coast, 40-39. 
  • She added four rebounds. 
• Junior forward Nyah Leveretter had six points on 3-of-3 from the field and a season-high eight rebounds. 
  • She has made at least five rebounds in three straight games.  
  • She added a season-high tying two blocks.