No. 14 Kentucky Takes On No. 3 Tennessee in the SEC Tournament Quarterfinals
GREENVILLE, S.C. – The Wildcats will compete in the 2023 Southeastern Conference Women’s Basketball Tournament Quarterfinals for the 14th straight season, which is the longest active streak among all league programs. The 14th-seeded University of Kentucky women’s basketball program will take on third-seeded Tennessee on Friday, March 3 at approximately 8:30 p.m. ET inside Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina.
The game will be broadcast on SEC Network, with Courtney Lyle and Carolyn Peck on the call.
Kentucky advanced to the quarterfinals of the league tournament after defeating sixth-seeded Alabama on Thursday, 71-58. The Wildcats shot 50.0 percent from the floor, marking the fourth time this season the Cats have made at least half their shots. Their 4-0 this season when shooting at least 50.0 percent from the floor.
With the win, head coach Kyra Elzy improved to a 7-1 all-time record in the SEC Tournament, which ties Melanie Balcomb of Vanderbilt for the best eight-game start for a head coach in SEC Tournament history. Meanwhile, Elzy has led the Wildcats to six straight SEC Tournament wins, the longest winning streak in the tournament in program history.
Kentucky outscored Alabama in points off turnovers (22-9), points in the paint (34-28), fastbreak points (18-4) and bench points (18-17) on Thursday.
Jada Walker, a sophomore guard, set a career-high 24 points on a career-high 11-of-16 shooting in the game. She added seven assists, six steals and three rebounds. Her six steals ties a program record for most steals in the SEC Tournament. Maddie Scherr, a junior guard, recorded 19 points, adding six blocks, four assists, three rebounds and two steals. Her six blocks set a new program record for most block in the SEC Tournament.
Eniya Russell, a junior guard, knocked down a pair of crucial 3-pointers down the stretch, ending the night with 12 points, one rebound, one block and one assist.
With Kentucky’s 2-0 stretch in the SEC Tournament this week, it improved to a winning record in all-time games at the SEC Tournament (43-42).
Walker ended the regular season as the SEC leader in steals (68), while she now boasts 77. Scherr ended the regular season as one of only two players in the league to have at least 110 assists (110) and 55 steals (55), while she now owns 120 assists and 58 steals. Kentucky also produced the first-, second- and third-best free-throw shooters in the conference to conclude the regular season, including Scherr (1st, 91.8%), Walker (2nd, 83.0) and Robyn Benton (3rd, 82.5).
Darren Headrick will have the call on the UK Sports Network on 630AM WLAP in Lexington for the sixth straight season. Free live audio will be available online at UKathletics.com and live stats will be available online at KentuckyStats.com.
