Kentucky-Mississippi State Postgame Notes

UK ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC RELATIONS
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL POSTGAME NOTES
KENTUCKY VS. MISSISSIPPI STATE
THURSDAY, FEB. 1, 2024
RUPP ARENA AT CENTRAL BANK CENTER – LEXINGTON, KY.
 

Mississippi State 77, Kentucky 74 – FINAL OT

Team Records and Series Notes  

• Kentucky is 9-13 overall and 2-6 in the Southeastern Conference in 2023-24, while Mississippi State is 18-5 overall and 5-3 in the conference this season.
• The University of Kentucky women’s basketball program is in its 50th season.
  • UK has a 903-601 (.601) all-time record.
• Kyra Elzy is in her fourth season as the head coach of the Wildcats, holding a 58-53 (.527) overall record.
  • She has a 21-34 overall record in the SEC.
• The Wildcats remain the leader over the Bulldogs in the all-time series, 31-24, and in Lexington, 14-10.
• Kentucky will play at Georgia at Stegeman Coliseum at Athens, Georgia, on Feb. 4 at noon ET.
  • The game will be televised on the SEC Network.

Team Notes

• Kentucky used the starting combination Brooklynn Miles, Maddie Scherr, Amiya Jenkins, Emma King and Ajae Petty for the second straight game and the second game this season.
  • • UK is 0-2 when using that starting combination.
  • The Wildcats won the opening tip for the 15th time this season.
  • Ajae Petty was the first player to score for Kentucky for a team-lead sixth time this season.
  • Saniah Tyler was the first substitute off the bench for Kentucky.

How It Happened

• Mississippi State led Kentucky, 4-2, at the first media timeout (4:55), as both teams went 1-of-7 from the floor to begin the game.
  • Kentucky played solid defense the remainder of the first quarter, while both teasm struggled to connect on shots, as the Bulldogs led the Wildcats, 10-9, at the end of the first period.
    • Both teams shot under 24.0 percent in the period.
    • Both teams had eight turnovers at the end of the period, each scoring four points off those miscues.
    • Jesika Carter has all 10 of the Dogs’ points.
• Despite free throws, scoring from the field was back-and-forth to begin the second quarter. Although, Mississippi State’s 3-of-4 at the line helped stretch its lead, 21-15, as Kentucky called a timeout (4:54).
  • UK missed a jumper shot out of the timeout, as MSU grabbed the rebound and answered with a jumper for themselves to create 6-0 run and stretch to a 23-15 edge.
  • Once again, scoring was tit-for-tat after that, as the Wildcats trailed the Bulldogs, 29-22, at halftime.
• Ajae Petty scored first for the Blue and White in the third quarter, thanks to an offensive rebound and a contested layup.
  • The Cats then began to score in runs, and it was a 9-0 run in the middle of the period in which they took a one-point lead after a Maddie Scherr 3-pointer (38-37, 4:10).
  • The Bulldogs regained its lead down the stretch in the third quarter, taking a 47-45 lead into the final period.
• Kentucky made five of its last seven shots that gave it a 58-53 lead and forced Mississippi State into its second timeout of the fourth quarter (4:38).
  • Kentucky held the lead until under the minute mark when Mississippi State made two straight 3-pointers to get within one point of Kentucky, 64-63, with 17 seconds on the clock.
  • Kentucky had the ball with 17 seconds on the clock and a one-point lead, then Maddie Scherr committed a turnover that allowed Mississippi State the opportunity to sink a 3-pointer for a two-point lead.
  • With eight seconds on the clock, Eniya Russell laid it right in the basket to force overtime, 66-66.
• Mississippi State scored first in the first overtime, creating a lead that Kentucky never could overcome.
  • The Bulldogs defeated the Wildcats, 77-74.

Player Notes

• Maddie Scherr, a senior guard, led Kentucky with 19 points, five assists and three steals.
  • It marked the 14th time this season and the 35th time in her career she has scored 10+ points.
  • It marked the 13th time this season and the 58th time in her career she has recorded 3+ assists.
  • It marked the 10th time this season and the 50th time in her career she has recorded 2+ steals.
  • She added eight rebounds.
    • She has had at least seven rebounds for fourth straight games.
• Ajae Petty, a senior forward, recorded the 12th double-double of the season and the 14th double-double of her career on 11 points and a team-lead 10 rebounds.
  • It marked the 16th time this season and the 26th time in her career she has recorded 10+ points.
  • It marked the 13th time this season and the 15th time in her career she has recorded 10+ rebounds.
  • She added a team-lead tying two blocks, an assist and a steal.
• Eniya Russell, a senior guard, had 15 points.
  • She has scored in double digits in four straight games.
  • It marked the 12th game this season and the 16th game in her career she has scored 10+ points.
  • She added a team-lead tying two blocks, two steals, a rebound and an assists.
• Saniah Tyler, a sophomore guard, had 14 points.
  • It marked the 11th game this season and of her career she has scored 10+ points.
  • She added a career-high tying four rebounds.
• Brooklynn Miles, a junior guard, grabbed a career-high seven rebounds.
• She added six points, three assists and two steals.