By Les Johns

The UK Hoops team capitalized on hot three-point shooting and stand-out performances from junior guard A’dia Mathies and freshman forward Azia Bishop to defeat the Arkansas Razorbacks 84-72 Thursday night at Memorial Coliseum.

The Cats converted on 11-23 behind the arc, outscoring the Razorbacks by 21 points from 3-point range.

“We didn’t shoot the ball very well,” Arkansas head coach Tom Collen said, “and they shot lights out especially from the 3-point line.”

Mathies hit her first four behind the arc, and had a career-high five for the game, shooting 5-for-9.

“I’m just being more confident in my shot,” Mathies said.  “They’ve been talking to me about it and being more aggressive and so if they leave me open I am going to take the shot.”

The Cats shot well behind the arc in the first half (7-for-11), but was outrebounded 24-15 and was getting beat in points in the paint 18 to 8.

After a 16-6 run to finish the first half, Arkansas trimmed a big UK lead down to 40-36.

Azia Bishop made an impact for the Cats in the second half, scoring ten points and grabbing six of her eight rebounds for the game in the half.

The Cats outrebounded the Hogs 24-12 in the second half.

“Offensive rebounding is very tough to do, but when Azia got in the game she got five offensive rebounds,” UK head coach Matthew Mitchell said. “When Azia Bishop plays the way she did in the second half then we are in for a real treat here. Azia Bishop is an extremely talented young woman and we need her to play the way she did in the second half.”

Bishop capped her scoring with a 3-pointer with 8:02 left in the game to extend the UK lead back out to nine at 67-58.

“I thought the biggest three was when number 50 (Bishop) stepped out and hit one.  I think we were still right there within five or six points,” Collen said. “I don’t know how many threes she’s made this year, but I don’t think we had on the scouting report that she was a 3-point shooter.  When she drained that I thought it sucked the life out of us a little bit.”

That was only Bishop’s second made 3-point shot of the year, shooting 25 percent for the season (2-of-8).

“Azia is probably one of our top-three 3-point shooters if you just get them in a gym by themselves and let them shoot,” Mitchell said.

Mathies led all scorers with 21 points.  She also added two steals and six assists.

“I think she was much more aggressive and that is what we needed. She played a fantastic game and got us off to a great start,” Mitchell said. “I am really proud of her defense and thought she had a fantastic game.”

Freshman guard Bria Goss added 11 points, with perfect shooting (4-4) from the floor including 3-3 from behind the arc.

Sophomore guard Bernisha Pinkett added some quality minutes off the bench, providing eight points and seven rebounds.

“I am really proud of her and we need her,” Mitchell said. “We desperately need her to play that way. I am really proud of her and she worked really hard this week to try to get her game turned around.”

The Cats next face the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Memorial Coliseum at 3:30 p.m. Sunday.