The No. 12 Kentucky Wildcats (19-2, 8-1 SEC) defeated the No. 13 Oklahoma Sooners (16-6, 4-5) in Norman 95-86.
UK’s fifth-year senior Georgia Amoore reached a career-high 43 points by making 15 of 22 field goals, including seven of 12 from beyond the arc and six of eight at the line.
Kentucky’s record for points in a game was tied by Amoore’s 43 points. Rhyne Howard most recently equaled Jennifer O’Neill’s 43 points against Baylor on Dec. 6, 2013, with 43 points against Alabama on Jan. 9, 2020.
Additionally, it was only the seventh time in UK history that a player finished a game with at least 40 points.
Clara Strack gave the Cats the opening goal, but Oklahoma soon drew the score at 2-2. Amoore made a 3-pointer to give UK a 5-2 lead. The game was tied at 5-5 when the Sooners responded with a three of their own.
Oklahoma made a basket to go within four points, but Kentucky closed up a 13-2 run and took a 20-9 lead with three baskets from Amoore, Dazia Lawrence and Amoore. The Sooners responded, cutting the lead to 23-15 with a 6-3 run. After ten minutes of play, Kentucky led 30-19 after making 12 of its 16 shots in the first quarter.
Oklahoma attempted to reduce the UK lead in the second quarter. The Sooners got within eight points, 33-25, after starting the period with a 6-3 run. Despite that, the Cats took a 40-27 lead after scoring seven of the next nine points. The Sooners made it 40-31 with four consecutive points.
After that, Amoore scored four consecutive shots, giving Kentucky a 44-31 lead. The Cats led 45-36 at the half, but the Sooners would go on a 5-2 run to end the half. 20 points were scored by Amoore in the first half.
Oklahoma got within one point, 47-46, with a 10-2 run to start the third quarter, however, with a three from Amelia Hassett, an Amoore jumper, eight points in a row from Strack and another three from Amoore, the Cats quickly recovered and increased the UK’s lead to 63-46.
The Cats led 63-52 after three quarters, but the Sooners scored the final six points of the quarter.
Oklahoma came even closer in the fourth quarter, making two early 3-pointers to reduce the UK advantage to 63-58. Amoore responded once more, making two 3-pointers to increase the UK’s lead to 69-58.
Oklahoma would keep cutting into the lead, eventually closing the gap to seven points, 91-84, but in the closing seconds, Amoore and the Cats made enough free throws to win.
The Cats play next in Oxford, Mississippi, against Ole Miss on Feb. 10 at 7 p.m. ET. The game will air live on ESPN2.