Kentucky women’s basketball (11-17, 4-10) was annihilated by No. 1 South Carolina (27-0, 14-0) on Sunday afternoon 103-55.
This was the second meeting between the two teams as the Wildcats already made a trip over to Columbia, S.C., on Jan. 15 where they were brutally defeated 98-36.
“Obviously we didn’t have a great showing in Columbia, which we were really disappointed and embarrassed about, and today it was just proving to ourselves that we had more,” Kentucky head coach Kyra Elzy said.
Kentucky entered the first game between the two on a two-game losing streak with back-to-back losses to Tennessee and Vanderbilt, but in the second go around the Cats had a small stride of momentum as it recently picked up back-to-back wins over Florida and Mississippi State.
Despite the change in momentum, the task was far too large to handle with the Gamecocks still being undefeated on the season.
“They’re talented, they have a lot of depth, and their ability to score inside and out,” Elzy said. “That’s why they’re ranked number one in the country.”
The game tipped-off and right off the bat South Carolina jumped out to a 7-0 lead, forcing Elzy to call a timeout just 1:40 into the game.
Out of the timeout, Maddie Scherr nailed a mid-range jump shot to get Kentucky on the board, but from there South Carolina’s offense took off, scoring 18 more first quarter points.
With four points each from Scherr and Saniah Tyler, Kentucky was only able to score eight of its own points in the first quarter, resulting in a 25-8 deficit at the first break.
“Lack of intensity on our end, better lock in and better focus,” Kentucky senior Ajae Petty said.
In the second round of four, after being held to zero points in the first, Petty slightly found her stride, scoring seven of Kentucky’s 14 second-quarter points. She would go on to finish the game with a team-high 16.
The Wildcats played their best basketball in the second quarter as they were only outscored 17-14, holding the score at 42-22 heading into halftime.
Out of the break, South Carolina’s Bree Hall started the scoring off by draining a three, which would be the first of four nailed third quarter shots from deep for the Gamecocks.
South Carolina’s third quarter total was 32 while Kentucky’s stayed low at 21, resulting in a 74-43 Gamecock lead heading into the fourth and final quarter.
In the last period of play, with all hope out the window, Kentucky shot 4-14 (28.6%) from the field and only managed to score 12 points.
As the SEC tournament approaches, the Wildcats look to continue to fight in effort to earn a better seed and bounce back on Feb. 29 at home against the Ole Miss Rebels.
