Kentucky WBB secures second SEC win in 77-54 blowout vs. Missouri

When Kentucky Women’s Basketball needed a win most, they got it… And then some.

On Sunday, the Wildcats (10-11; 2-7 SEC) mopped the floor with Missouri (14-8; 3-6 SEC) in a 77-54 blowout. The win is a sign of life for the ‘Cats, who lost to the Tigers by three points precisely 30 days ago.

𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐒 🔛🔝@KentuckyWBB shoots 52% from the field as the Wildcats overpower Missouri!#SECWBB pic.twitter.com/iKn9ia2kGw

— Southeastern Conference (@SEC) January 29, 2023

Amid standout performances across the board, Maddie Scherr was the standout performer. The 5-foot-11 guard dropped 13 points, five rebounds and eight assists while shooting 4-9 from the field and 2-3 from beyond the arc.

Of course, one player can’t create a 20-point victory. Kentucky shot 29-56 (52%) from the field and a season-high 8-15 (53%) from 3-point land. The ‘Cats never once trailed Missouri in Memorial Coliseum. The race to the finish line was over before it started.

The ‘Cats carve up the Tigers

Kentucky burst out of the starting gates to a 9-3 lead and never looked back. Robyn Benton fueled Kentucky early, pumping out eight points and two baskets from deep in eight minutes. Kentucky’s defense was the diesel behind its well-oiled offense.

When Kentucky faced Missouri on Dec. 29, the ‘Cats forced 25 Missouri turnovers. The Tigers clearly didn’t learn their lesson from the experience. Kentucky rarely gave Mizzou room to breathe in the first half, causing 17 turnovers in 20 minutes.

Now THAT is Kentucky Women’s Basketball 🤩 #GoBigBlue 💙

— Rhyne Howard 🤟🏾🈳 (@howard_rhyne) January 29, 2023

Chugging along at breakneck speed, Kentucky sprinted into the second quarter with a 22-9 lead. The break didn’t slow down the ‘Cats. Kentucky opened the second frame on a 6-0 run, courtesy of Benton and Scherr 3-pointers.

The pair of 3’s was a drop in the bucket for UK’s first-half shooting. The team shot an impressive 17-33 (52%) from the field and 5-8 (63%) from downtown through 20 minutes. Better, the team finished the half on a 9-0 run to secure a commanding 41-22 lead at halftime.

Kentucky keeps its foot on the pedal

No team with three wins in the SEC will quietly accept a loss, including Missouri. The third period was a shootout, with each team constantly outdoing the other. It didn’t help Kentucky was at a disadvantage.

Just over three minutes into the period, Scherr picked up her third foul, forcing her to the sideline. With Scherr out, Missouri forward Hayley Frank took over. The 6-foot-1 star scored 12 points in the third period alone.

✨3️⃣✨@jadawalkr11#GameOn pic.twitter.com/3D8NYolWkK

— Kentucky Women’s Basketball (@KentuckyWBB) January 29, 2023

Despite Frank’s explosion, Kentucky took minimal damage. The team closed out the quarter with an 8-0 run to take a 69-42 lead into the final 10 minutes of the game. The fourth quarter wasn’t as glamorous as the rest of the contest, but dirty work was done.

With UK’s freshmen in the game, Missouri outscored the ‘Cats 12-8 in the fourth frame, a bit shy of a miraculous comeback. When the dust settled, Kentucky found itself on the winning end of a 77-54 triumph.

Kentucky’s defense was key. The ‘Cats forced 22 Mizzou turnovers while only committing 13 themselves. In turn, the ‘Cats recorded a whopping 28 points off the Tigers mistakes. Despite being outsized, Kentucky battled in the paint, as well. The team outscored Mizzou in the paint 26-22.

If you haven’t guessed, Scherr wasn’t the only one with high-scoring figures. Jada Walker led Kentucky with 18 points and five assists on 6-9 shooting. Blair Green trailed just behind, adding 14 points and five boards. Benton rounded out the squad, recording 13 points while shooting 3-5 from 3-point range.

Kentucky will have four days before its next contest, and they’ll need every minute. On Thursday, the ‘Cats will face off against the No. 1 South Carolina Gamecocks at 7 p.m. The game will be broadcast on the SEC Network.