Kentucky, Mississippi State Rematch in Starkville on Thursday
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky women’s basketball program will play at Mississippi State on Thursday, Feb. 22 at 7:30 p.m. ET at Humphrey Coliseum in Starkville, Mississippi.
The game will be broadcast on SEC Network+, with Bart Gregory and Charlie Winfield on the call. Big Blue Nation also can listen in to the play-by-play on UK Sports Network and / or 630 AM WLAP (locally), with the Voice of the Wildcats, Darren Headrick on the mic.
Kentucky is 10-16 this season, including 3-9 in the Southeastern Conference. Kentucky is coming off a win over Florida, 81-77, in front of more than 4,000 fans, including over 90 alumna, inside Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center last Sunday.
The Wildcats, who held the lead for just 12 minutes in the game, overcame an eight-point deficit late in the third quarter to earn their third win in conference action. Four Cats scored in double digits, including Eniya Russell (24 points), Maddie Scherr (14 points), Amiya Jenkins (10 points) and Ajae Petty (10 points). It marked Russell’s fourth game coming off the bench to score at least 20 points this season. She added five rebounds, a team-high three assists, two steals and a block in just 24 minutes.
Petty, a senior forward, had 11 rebounds to go with her 10 points. It marked her second straight double-double, while it is her 14th double-double on the season. She is one of just four players in the league to have at least 14 double-doubles in 2023-24.
Kentucky’s 81 points are a season high in SEC games, while UK is 4-0 when it scores at least 80 points this season. A season-high tying 42 of those points came off the bench.
Also in the triumph, the Wildcats drew a season-best seven charges, including three by Cassidy Rowe, who leads the team with 23.
Kentucky leads Mississippi State, 31-24, in the all-time series, while the two teams are tied, 11-11, in games played in Starkville.
In the most recent matchup between the two teams, the game was tied, 66-66, at the end of regulation, before Mississippi State outscored Kentucky in overtime to win, 77-74.
The Bulldogs are 20-7 on the season, including 7-5 in the league and 10-4 at home. They’re on a two-game losing streak, suffering losses at Ole Miss last Sunday, 75-71, which also went to overtime, and to Florida on Feb. 15, 90-70.
Two players on their roster are averaging double-digit scoring on the season, including Jerkaila Jordan (16.6) and Jessika Carter (14.8). Carter also is leading the team in rebounds (9.9). Mississippi State is ranked third in the SEC in field-goal percentage (45.3) and fourth in the league in three-point field-goal percentage (35.3).
For more information on the Kentucky women’s basketball team, visit UKathletics.com or follow @KentuckyWBB on X, Instagram and Facebook.
