Kentucky WBB falls apart in 74-52 loss against Ole Miss

Rock bottom can be deceiving. Kentucky Women’s Basketball is learning that lesson the hard way.

On Monday evening, Kentucky women’s basketball (10-14; 2-10 SEC) fell 74-52 to the Ole Miss Rebels (20-5; 9-3 SEC) in lackluster fashion. The loss is Kentucky’s second in a row, previously losing to Alabama 72-65 on Feb. 9. Hopeful to march on Ole Miss like a well-oiled machine, Kentucky encountered an all-systems failure in Oxford.

Final from Oxford. pic.twitter.com/sVR4obs73V

— Kentucky Women’s Basketball (@KentuckyWBB) February 14, 2023

Kentucky’s leading scorer isn’t above critique. Robyn Benton led the Cats with 15 points while shooting 4-18 from the field and 0-5 from beyond the arc in 30 minutes. Benton’s performance was one problem in a catastrophic team performance.

As a team, UK shot 15-57 (26%) from the field and 3-14 (21%) from 3-point range. Kentucky’s performance on the boards didn’t help it. The team scored a mere three points off second-chance opportunities. The ‘Cats led the game for 10 seconds in total.

Kentucky suffers brutal first half

Those 10 seconds were glorious, though. Kentucky electrified the crowd with the first two points of the game. They didn’t score again for nearly five minutes. By the time the ‘Cats shook themselves out of their daydream, the Rebels stole a 9-2 lead. UK ground out the rest of the period to simply escape the nightmare scenario.

They had some success. After switching to a 2-3 zone defense, Kentucky forced five first-quarter turnovers out of Ole Miss. The ‘Cats finished the frame on an 8-4 run to cut their deficit to 13-10 heading into the second quarter.

Unfortunately, all the work Kentucky did to shake itself out of a sluggish start was in vain after Ole Miss threw its knockout punch. Despite shooting 28.8% from beyond the arc this season, the Rebels caught fire against the ‘Cats.

Ole Miss shot 36% from deep in the first half, nailing three-straight 3-pointers to secure a 33-20 lead. The Rebels’ five first-half 3-pointers are more than they average in an entire game. Of course, perimeter play comes easy when you work hard in the paint.

Ole Miss out-rebounded the ‘Cats on the offensive glass 11-3 through the first 20 minutes of the contest. Meanwhile, neither Jada Walker nor Maddie Scherr converted a single field goal in the first half. In turn, the Rebels strolled into the halftime break with a 35-22 lead.

Fitting finish to a concerning contest

Head coach Kyra Elzy’s halftime speech didn’t seem to motivate her team. Ole Miss began the third frame on a 5-0 run. Perhaps the ‘Cats looked so lethargic due to their star player’s absence. Maddie Scherr did not play in the second half after suffering severe headaches throughout the first half.

If anybody can discover energy in such a dire situation, it’s Kennedy Cambridge. The Kentucky freshman scored a quick five points to rejuvenate the Wildcats. Sadly, motivation can only go so far. UK shot 3-14 from the field in the third frame.

That's one TOUGH freshman. 😤@kencambridge_ pic.twitter.com/0LUkM31Pai

— Kentucky Women’s Basketball (@KentuckyWBB) February 14, 2023

Nonetheless, the team found success at the free-throw line, connecting on 11 of its 14 attempts from the stripe. Heading into the game’s final 10 minutes, Ole Miss sat ahead 54-40. Free throws win games, but not when you’re down 14 points.

Make that 20 points. The Rebels rattled off six unanswered points to begin the final frame. The game was over despite the final horn not ringing yet. The ‘Cats failed to hit a field goal for nearly five minutes before finally breaking the cold spell.

The bucket was a drop in the ocean between UK and Ole Miss. The Rebels rode off in the sunset with a dominant 74-52 win. In the contest, Ole Miss grabbed 12 more offensive boards than the ‘Cats and scored more than twice UK’s second-chance points.

Additionally, the Rebels’ distribution was superior. The team dished out 15 assists compared to Kentucky’s mere five. On the bright side for UK, they won the turnover war. The team choked away 14 possessions while squeezing out 15 Ole Miss turnovers.

Nonetheless, the ‘Cats failed to take advantage of their opponent’s mistakes, scoring only 11 points off turnovers compared to the Rebels’ 15. The loss was a failure from both a team and individual perspective.

Benton was the only ‘Cat to score double figures on Monday evening. Cambridge had solid minutes, recording nine points on 4-5 shooting in 21 minutes. Walker added seven points despite shooting 1-12 from the field.

Kentucky has four games left to figure out its issues. On Thursday, they’ll face off against the Georgia Bulldogs at 7 p.m. inside Memorial Coliseum. The game will be broadcast on the SEC Network+.