No. 11 Kentucky women’s basketball (15-1, 2-0 SEC) picked up its eighth consecutive win with a 74-52 win over Missouri (12-5, 0-2 SEC).
The Wildcats used standout performances from Clara Strack and Tonie Morgan to pick up their ninth win by 20 points or more this season. Strack was the Cats leading scorer with 19 points and the leading rebounder with 10 boards, picking up her eighth double-double of the season. Morgan ended with 18 points on 7-11 shooting (63.6%), she also dished out 14 assists for her fourth double-double of the season.
Kentucky held Missouri to its lowest FG% and 3FG% of the season, the Tigers shot 19-64 (29.7%) from the field and 5-28 (17.9%) from 3-point range. This also resulted in Missouri’s lowest scoring total this season with 52 points.
The Cats shot much more efficiently than Missouri, shooting 29-66 (43.9%) from the field and 11-32 (34.4%) from behind the arc.
Kentucky started out hitting just two of its first eight shots in the first four minutes of the game, 1-5 from 3-point range. Allowing Missouri to pull ahead 7-4 early.
Missouri went nearly four minutes without a made field goal, but the Wildcats own struggles kept them from capitalizing as Mizzou pulled ahead 11-8.
The Wildcats finally found a rhythm late in the first quarter, scoring on three straight possessions to mount an 8-2 run and take a 18-13 lead.
Kentucky made five of its last six shots in the first quarter to take a 24-17 lead into the second quarter.
Morgan got out to a strong start, scoring eight points on 3/3 shooting with five assists. She also recorded a block and a steal.
Missouri went scoreless in the first three minutes of the second quarter, calling a timeout when UK extended its lead to 29-17.
Missouri made one of its last eight shots in the second quarter, allowing Kentucky to go into halftime with a 38-28 lead.
Kentucky scored much more efficiently than Missouri in the half. The Cats shot 16-35 (45.7%) from the field and 5-15 (33.3%) from 3-point range. Missouri shot 10-31 (32.3%) from the field and 2-11 from behind the arc.
The Wildcats defense caused shooting struggles for Missouri, but they also recorded four blocks and four steals in the half.
Strack led the Cats first-half scoring with 12 points. Morgan continued to build on her strong first quarter, heading into halftime with nine points and eight assists.
The Tigers made 3-pointers on back-to-back possessions to pull back within seven points early in the third quarter.
With five minutes remaining in the third quarter, Teonni Key suffered an injury to her shoulder/arm and had to be taken back to the locker room immediately.
A two minute scoring drought from Missouri allowed Kentucky to extend its lead, using a 7-0 run to pull ahead 52-36 six minutes through the third quarter.
The Wildcats ended the quarter with some scoring troubles of their own. Kentucky didn’t score for four minutes, until Morgan sunk a layup in the final second of the third quarter.
Kentucky still outscored Missouri 16-12 in the quarter, taking a 54-40 lead into the fourth quarter.
The Wildcats struggles late in the third quarter didn’t carry over into the fourth, Kentucky came out with a 7-0 run to pull ahead by 21 and force a Missouri timeout.
Kentucky continued to extend its lead following the timeout, with a 6-0 run putting the Cats ahead 67-40.
Kentucky outscored Missouri 20-12 in the fourth quarter to pick up a 74-52 win.
Kentucky now leads the all-time series with Missouri 14-5, moving to 9-0 against the Tigers in games played in Lexington.
The Wildcats will head down to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, for their next game. Kentucky will take on the Crimson Tide on Thursday, Jan. 8, at 7 p.m. ET.
