Kentucky remains undefeated following 79-67 win vs. Purdue Fort Wayne

After a rocky first quarter/half, Kentucky Women’s Basketball overcame the Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons, 79-67. The ‘Cats move to 5-0 after being ranked at No. 15 in the AP Poll on Monday following their win over Louisville.

In the first quarter, the Mastodons came out to an early lead thanks to Lauren Ross, who went 5-7 from the three-point line. Thankfully, Kentucky guarded her more closely after her fourth make. She didn’t make another until the beginning of the fourth quarter. The ‘Cats were having a very difficult time getting any offensive production going. In the first half, Georgia Amoore was 1-8 (12.5%) from the field, her only shot dropping was a three-pointer early in the first quarter.

The second quarter was much of the same, not much offensive production and letting the Mastodons take wide open shots. Going into the half, Kentucky trailed by five points, the largest deficit from an unranked team this season. Dazia Lawrence led her team with 12 points on 5-7 (71.4%) from the field, and 2-3 (66%) from three in the first half, but came out dry at the beginning of the third quarter.

In the third, it took the ‘Cats about two minutes to get the ball in the basket. Then, Kentucky went on a horrific dry spell, not making a shot for another two minutes, despite three offensive rebounds. Finally, Teonni Key drained a pair of free throws to gain her team some momentum. Georgia Amoore and Dazia Lawrence added a couple of three-pointers to close the nine-point deficit to three. Then, Amoore dropped another three, tying the game at 46.

Kentucky took the lead for the first time in the game with a pair of free throws by Clara Strack. Of course, the Mastodons immediately stole the lead back. Then, Lawrence answered with a beautiful three-pointer to take a two-point lead late in the third. Purdue Fort Wayne’s Sydney Freeman made a free throw to cut Kentucky’s lead to one entering the fourth quarter.

About two minutes into the fourth, Lawrence drained yet another three, but was on the receiving end of a rough collision. The guard walked herself off the court, but took some time on the bench to ice her face. The collision came from Amellia Bromenschenkel, who collected an intentional foul call. Lawrence exited the game with 21 points in the fourth, but would return late in the quarter.

The ‘Cats were up 10 with six minutes to go, a comfortable lead after previously being down by as much as nine. However, the ‘Cats found themselves in some foul trouble. Teonni Key committed her third foul in the second quarter. It wasn’t until the fourth that other players followed suit. Cassidy Rowe, Key, Clara Strack, and Amelia Hassett all had at least three fouls by the middle of the fourth. Purdue Fort Wayne’s starting forward Jazzlyn Linbo fouled out with five minutes to go in the matchup.

After 40 minutes of play, Kentucky finished 25-62 (40.3%) from the field, and 11-25 (44%) from three. The team added 38 rebounds and 11 blocks. Plus, Kentucky had four players in double-digits, two of them with more than 20 points. The ‘Cats came out on top after a rollercoaster of events, moving to 5-0 on the season heading into the Music City Classic in Nashville. There, Kentucky faces Arizona State and No. 22 Illinois in the two days leading up to Thanksgiving.