McDonald Sets Three-Point Record in Win Over Evansville
Freshman Emily McDonald broke the school record for three-point baskets made in a game as No. 12/10 Kentucky thumped Evansville 98-30 on Wednesday night at Historic Memorial Coliseum.
McDonald made 9 of 12 from behind the arc, breaking the previous record of eight threes made in a game, which was held by Rhyne Howard and Ajša Sivka, who had tied the record earlier this week. McDonald finished the game with 27 points.
Me’Arah O’Neal had 18 points and eight rebounds for Kentucky, Sivka had 12 and Clara Strack added 11 for the Cats, who tied the school record with 18 made threes in a game.
Kentucky (4-0) got on the board first on a fast-break layup from Diana Collins. Evansville would tie the game before Asia Boone hit a three from the corner to give UK a 5-2 lead. The Aces scored to get within one but Sivka drove to the basket and scored to give the Cats a three-point lead.
Strack scored underneath and Sivka scored in the lane to make it 11-4. Another fast-break layup from Collins stretched the lead to nine, but Evansville would hit a three to cut the UK lead to 13-7. A McDonald three gave UK a nine-point lead and Savvy Swords made a layup to make it 18-7. McDonald then hit another triple and the Cats led 21-7. That would be the score after one period.
Evansville scored the first points of the second quarter but O’Neal converted a three-point play, then hit a shot from behind the arc, converted another three-point play, then scored underneath. Her personal 11-0 run gave Kentucky a 32-9 lead. Strack then hit a three to close out a 14-0 run.
After an Evansville basket, UK got consecutive threes from Sivka, then another Strack bucket and a McDonald three to close out the half with the Cats leading 46-11.
Strack scored the first two points of the third quarter before Evansville scored. UK then got three-pointers from O’Neal and Boone to lead 54-13. Two Strack free throws and a slick layup from O’Neal extended the lead to 45 points. An Evansville three cut the lead to 58-16.
Sivka scored before Evansville hit another three. McDonald answered with a three for UK, stretching the lead to 63-19. After two Aces’ free throws, Ayanna Patterson scored underneath for the Cats and O’Neal added two free throws to stretch the lead to 67-21. The Aces hit a free throw before McDonald struck from deep again, followed by a three from Boone and another from McDonald, giving UK a 76-22 lead after three quarters.
In the fourth quarter, Kentucky got layups from Patterson and Collins to extend the lead to 80-22. McDonald hit consecutive threes to tie the school record and UK took an 86-22 lead in the process. After Evansville scored, McDonald broke the school record with her ninth three-pointer and UK took an 89-24 lead. The Aces scored but Swords answered to extend the lead to 91-26.
From there, the Cats would lead by as many as 70 points before settling for the 68-point victory.
Kentucky returns to action on Sunday, hosting Eastern Michigan. Tipoff is set for noon ET and the game can be seen on the SEC Network.
