Kentucky-Florida Postgame Notes

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL POSTGAME NOTES
SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT FIRST ROUND – GAME TWO
#14 KENTUCKY VS. #11 FLORIDA
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 2023
BON SECOURS WELLNESS ARENA – GREENVILLE, S.C.
  

Kentucky 72, Florida 57- FINAL
 
Team Records and Series Notes   

• The University of Kentucky women’s basketball program is in its 49th season with an 893-586 (.603) all-time record.    
  • The Wildcats are now 11-18 overall, and they concluded the SEC season 2-14. 
  • The Gators are now 16-14 overall, and they concluded the regular season 5-11. 
• Kentucky has a 42-42 all-time record in the SEC Tournament. 
  • UK leads UF, 8-2, in all-time meetings in the SEC Tournament.  
• Kyra Elzy is in her third season as the head coach of the Wildcats, holding a 48-39 overall record.   
  • She has a 6-1 all-time record in the SEC Tournament. 
  • Elzy’s 6-1 start is the best start for a UK head coach to their tournament tenure in program history.  
  • She concluded the conference season with a 19-28 overall record in the SEC. 
• Kentucky has won five straight SEC Tournament games, which is the longest streak in program history.  
  • This is the fourth straight season that Kentucky has won at least one game in the annual tournament. In fact, UK has won at least one game in the tournament in 13 of the last 14 tournaments.  
• The win advances Kentucky to the second round of the 2023 SEC Tournament. The Wildcats will play Thursday at 8:30 p.m. ET against sixth-seeded Alabama in the second round. The game will be televised on SEC Network with Darren Headrick on the call on the UK Sports Network.  

 Team Notes   

• Kentucky used the starting combination sophomore guard Jada Walker, junior guard Maddie Scherr, graduate guard Robyn Benton, graduate guard Blair Green and graduate forward Adebola Adeyeye for the seventh time this season.  
  • UK is 4-3 this season when using this starting combination.  
• Florida won the opening tip, marking the 21st time this season that the Wildcats have lost the opening tip.  
• Robyn Benton was the first Wildcat to score for the 12th time this season. 
• Ajae Petty was the first sub off the bench for Kentucky for the eighth time this season. 
• Kentucky jumped out to a 7-4 lead over the first three minutes and 34 seconds in the first quarter, which included two jumpers by Robyn Benton and a three-point field goal by Blair Green. 
  • Florida regained the lead after a 6-2 run over the next minute, which included a pair of foul shots. 
  • Kentucky closed out the first quarter on a 9-2 run.  
    • That run started with an and-one play by Amiya Jenkins, competing in her first SEC Tournament. 
• Kentucky went on a 4-2 run over the first four minutes and 30 seconds of the second quarter, first with a jumper by Ajae Petty then a layup by Jada Walker, which helped UK to a 22-14 lead. 
  • Eight players were then ejected from the game after an altercation on the court, including Cassidy Rowe, Eniya Russell, Zennia Thomas and Saniah Tyler from Kentucky and Faith Dut, Ra Shaya Kyle, Taliyah Wyche and Tatyana Wyche from Florida. 
    • UK’s Robyn Benton and Ajae Petty received technical fouls (Benton’s first foul in the game, Petty’s second foul in the game). 
  • When the dust was settled, Florida ended the first half on a 7-0 run. 
  • Kentucky led Florida, 22-21, at halftime.  
• The Wildcats got off to a 10-3 start against the Gators in the second half to take an eight-point lead with seven minutes and 23 seconds remaining in the third quarter. 
  • The Gators used the next four minutes to create an 11-5, which included back-to-back 3-pointers, to get within two points of the Wildcats. 
  • Amiya Jenkins knocked down a pair of free throws, before the Gators rallied another 6-0 run to take a 41-39 lead with just two minutes to go in the third quarter. 
  • Benton and Maddie Scherr both made jumpers on back-to-back possessions to conclude the period on top. 
  • Kentucky led Florida, 43-41, at the end of the third quarter. 
• Florida opened the fourth quarter on a layup and a free throw to regain the lead, 44-43.  
  • Kentucky responded with two free throws before Benton drained a 3-pointer to take back the lead.  
  • That turned into an 11-4 run to stretch its lead, as the Cats never looked back, leading the Gators in scoring, 29-16, overall in the final stanza. 
    • That included a 10-0 run around the three-minute mark to help Kentucky take the biggest lead of the game thus far, 66-52. 
  • Kentucky defeated Florida, 72-57. 
• Kentucky shot 44.3 percent from the field on 27-61 shooting. 
  • It marked UK’s best shooting performance since going 51.8 percent on 29-56 in the win against Missouri on Jan. 29. 
• Kentucky outrebounded Florida, 45-39. 
  • It marked UK’s best rebounding performance since grabbing 46 in the win at Minnesota on Dec. 7, 2021. 
• The Wildcats led the Gators in points off turnovers (17-16), points in the paint (38-32), second-chance points (16-9) and fast break points (17-6). 

Player Notes   

• Graduate guard Robyn Benton scored a game-high 20 points with five rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks.  
  • Benton went 7-of-17 from the field, including 2-of-4 from long range and 4-of-4 from the free-throw line.  
  • Benton has scored 20 or more points eight times this season, including nine times in her career.  
  • Benton’s five rebounds tied a season high, which she has accomplished four times this season. It was the most rebounds since she had five at Florida on Jan. 15, 2023.  
  • This was the 14^th time this season that Benton has led UK in scoring and the 16^th time in her career. 
• Sophomore guard Jada Walker scored 13 points with four rebounds, four assists and three steals.  
  • Walker has scored 10 or more points in 19 games this season and 36 games in her career.  
  • Walker has three or more assists in 13 games this season, including 22 times in her career.  
  • This was the 14^th time this season Walker has led UK in steals.  
• Graduate forward Adebola Adeyeye scored 11 points with a career-best 17 rebounds in the game, marking her second double-double of the season.  
  • This was the third time of the season she has scored 10 or more points and the 25^th time in her career.  
  • This was the eighth time in her career she has led UK in rebounding.  
  • She is the first UK player since Evelyen Akhator to record 17 rebounds in a game. Akhator had 23 against Ohio State on March 19, 2017.  
• Junior guard Maddie Scherr scored 10 points with four rebounds, six assists and one steal in 25 minutes.  
  • Scherr missed most of the first half due to injury, but returned right before halftime and played all the second half.  
  • Scherr has scored 10 or more points in each of her last three games.  
  • Scherr has scored 10 or more points in 15 games this season, including 19 times in her career.  
  • Scherr has three or more assists in 20 games this season.  
  • This was the 18^th time this season that Scherr has led UK in assists. 
• Senior guard Blair Green scored nine points with five rebounds, adding three assists and a 3-pointer.  
• Freshman guard Amiya Jenkins played 18 minutes and scored five points with five rebounds, adding three assists and going 3-of-3 from the free-throw line.