Intrastate foe proves to be no match for the Cats

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By Nick Craddock

UK head coach Matthew Mitchell felt completely at home during the Cats’ first road game of the season. UK’s star player Victoria Dunlap wasn’t feeling the same way — at least for the first half.

The Cats (3-0) traveled about 70 miles east down I-64 to defeat the Morehead State Lady Eagles (0-2) 72-55, in Mitchell’s first return trip to the school he coached before coming to UK.

Freshman A'dia Mathies goes for a basket during UK's game against Butler University at Memorial Coliseum on Sunday. Photo by Allie Garza | Staff

Morehead State, the preseason favorite to win the Ohio Valley Conference, managed to do something UK’s first two opponents this season failed to do: contain Dunlap, a second-team All-Southeastern Conference forward, for an extended period of play, limiting her to three points in the first half.

However, UK proved the up-tempo offense they’ve displayed this season doesn’t have to solely rely on Dunlap.

The Cats managed to score the first eight points of the game and held a 37-27 lead at the intermission thanks in large part to secondary scoring. Freshman guard A’dia Mathies had an 11-point first-half effort, which led all scorers.

Junior guard Amber Smith also took on some of the offensive load by tallying nine points and three assists before halftime.

Two minutes into the second half, with the game at 39-31, UK went on a 12-0 run to push the lead to 20. The run snapped Dunlap’s temporary offensive slump as she scored five of UK’s 12 points.

Despite the Lady Eagles’ efforts, they could never chisel the UK lead back to single digits in the remaining 13-and-a-half minutes left in the game.

Although the Cats failed to eclipse the 80-point plateau for the first time this season, Dunlap did manage to recover from her uncharacteristic first half to finish with 12 points and 16 rebounds for her third consecutive double-double and the 16th of her career. She also dished out six assists.

Mathies finished with a career-high 18 points.

The game marked the first meeting between the in-state foes since 1995. UK now leads the all-time series between the two schools 23-4. The Cats’ next game is at home against Chattanooga on Sunday.