Wildcats fall to the Bulldogs in semifinals of SEC Tournament

Kentucky+senior+guard+Jaida+Roper+dribbles+the+ball+up+the+court+during+the+game+against+Georgia+on+Thursday%2C+Feb.+27%2C+2020%2C+at+Memorial+Coliseum+in+Lexington%2C+Kentucky.+Kentucky+won+88-77.+Photo+by+Jordan+Prather+%7C+Staff

Kentucky senior guard Jaida Roper dribbles the ball up the court during the game against Georgia on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020, at Memorial Coliseum in Lexington, Kentucky. Kentucky won 88-77. Photo by Jordan Prather | Staff

Kernel Sports Staff

After defeating Tennessee Friday night, the No. 3 seed Kentucky women’s basketball team fell to Mississippi State 77-59 in the semifinals of the SEC Tournament. 

Kentucky led by as many as 12 points in the first half, but held a 35-32 lead over the Aggies at halftime, with Rhyne Howard leading all scorers with 17 points. The Cats continued their three-point shooting efficiency, hitting six threes in the first half while holding Texas A&M to 0-for-6 from beyond the arc. 

By the end of the third quarter, the Cats were still close with the Aggies, but had fallen behind 52-47. The Cats wouldn’t go on to redeem themselves– the closest they would get was within nine a multiple times in the fourth quarter. 

SEC Player of the Year Howard finished with 26 points on 10-of-26 shooting and seven rebounds, while the SEC’s 6th Woman of the Year Chasity Patterson also scored in double figures, finishing with 13 points.

Kentucky will find out its seeding and opponent for the NCAA Tournament during the selection show on Monday, March 9.