RECAP: Kentucky WBB puts it on Pikeville in 93-45 blowout

Kentucky Women’s Basketball couldn’t have asked for a better start to the season.

On Wednesday night, the Wildcats defeated the Pikeville Bears 93-45 in convincing fashion. The contest is Kentucky’s first and only exhibition of the season. The ‘Cats made the most of the opportunity, with 13 of the team’s 14 active players touching the floor.

Amid so many spectacular performances, Ajae Petty stood out. The 6-foot-3 LSU transfer led the team with 15 points, six rebounds and four steals in 21 minutes. Moreover, Petty shot 7-10 from the field and had a plus/minus of +26.

As fantastic as Petty was, the triumph was a team effort. The ‘Cats shot 43-89 (48%) from the field and 3-13 (23%) from beyond the arc. The team ruled the lane, scoring 76 of their points in the paint and recording 26 second-chance points. The contest was a definitive successful first showing for this current crew of ‘Cats.

Nice win.

Let's do it for real next time. 😁 pic.twitter.com/VVKuWzHQhf

— Kentucky Women’s Basketball (@KentuckyWBB) November 3, 2022

Kentucky hits the court running

Kentucky didn’t waste any time exerting their dominance. The ‘Cats began the game on a 6-0 run, started by a smooth finish from Maddie Scherr. Things only got worse for Pikeville from there. The Wildcats’ full-court press caused seven Pikeville turnovers just five minutes into the contest.

After rotating Emma King, Adebola Adeyeye and Petty into the game, Kentucky ran off another 11 unanswered points. The team shared the wealth with seven ‘Cats scoring in the frame. Before the Bears could blink, they trailed UK 25-7.

Adebola Adeyeye cleans the glass

The story was the same in the second quarter. Kentucky did whatever they wanted and Pikeville couldn’t stop them. The ‘Cats began the period on an 8-1 run while forcing more Bears’ mistakes. Scherr led the Wildcats’ offense, taking on point guard responsibilities.

While Scherr orchestrated perimeter play, Adeyeye controlled the paint. The Buffalo transfer snagged a jaw-dropping 12 rebounds in the first half. Head coach Kyra Elzy was one of the few people in Memorial Coliseum who wasn’t surprised by the standout performance.

“[Adebola], we had role meetings this week, and one of the things I talked to her about — ‘We need you to be tenacious on the boards and I need you to be an unbelievable screener,'” Elzy said in the press conference following the win.

Despite Adeyeye’s stunning performance, Petty led the ‘Cats in scoring, recording 10 points in the half. Mary Englert led the Bears with 10 points on 4-14 shooting from the field. Kentucky entered the break with a comfortable 43-14 lead.

Kentucky catches fire in the third

In the third frame, Kentucky’s three-headed monster of Scherr, Jada Walker and Robyn Benton gave Pikeville headaches. The trio combined for 25 points in the period, making the third quarter Kentucky’s highest of the night.

In fairness, Pikeville had a better 10 minutes, as well. The Bears scored 14 in the period, equaling their first-half total. Nonetheless, they continued to make mistakes, committing seven turnovers in the frame. Kentucky took advantage, dropping 10 points off turnovers in the third quarter.

Scherr discussed the team’s pesky defense after the win.

“We wanted to keep our defensive intensity throughout the entire game, which can be difficult,” Scherr said postgame. “We did a good job with reminders just to be intense because we want to push the ball in transition.”

Kentucky’s lockdown defense carried them to a 74-28 lead heading into the final 10 minutes of the game.

Putting on the finishing touches

The game was over by the fourth quarter. With the bench in, Kentucky outscored the Bears 19-17. The Wildcats’ ridiculous rebounding effort was key. Kentucky grabbed 19 rebounds in the frame. When the final buzzer sounded, UK defeated the Bears 93-45.

The final score was representative of the countless categories that Kentucky outplayed Pikeville in. The Wildcats’ tenacious defense bothered Pikeville all night, forcing 25 turnovers. When the game slowed down, Kentucky was equally dominant. The team out-rebounded Pikeville 59-37 through 40 minutes.

Kentucky’s offense was just as superb. Following Petty’s lead, Walker, Scherr, and Benton also scored double figures. Of course, all those highlight buckets have to come from somewhere. The team dished out 22 assists in the contest.

The Wildcats’ win is a positive sign as the team heads into the regular season. UK will use their momentum as they hurl toward their first game of the season against Radford on Monday. Kentucky will take on the Highlanders at 7 p.m. ET in Memorial Coliseum. The game will be broadcast on SEC Network+.