After coming home from a two-game road trip against Montana and Washington State, the UK women’s basketball team returned to Memorial Coliseum on Wednesday and defeated the Morehead State Eagles 83-56. 

The win marks Kentucky’s 68th consecutive win against non-conference opponents in Memorial Coliseum. 

UK got off to a fast start by making its first seven shot attempts en route to a 15-5 run. Junior guard Maci Morris led the team in scoring in the quarter with seven points, with two of those being three-point shots. 

The Cats finished the quarter with a 66.7 percent field goal percentage and were up 26-12. 

Morris continued her hot hand at shooting with eight points in the second quarter and two more three-pointers. Kentucky continued to control the game through Morris’ hot streak and Morehead State’s turnover struggles. 

Kentucky was able to score four points off the Eagles’ three turnovers in the second quarter.

In the half, UK dominated in shooting overall with a 52 percent field goal percentage, went 7-13 in three pointers and stole the ball five times. Morehead State had 11 turnovers in the half and Kentucky took advantage with 16 points off those turnovers. Kentucky was up at halftime 46-27.

“Coach Mitchell told us five percent of the time you have the ball and 95 percent of the time you don’t, so he focused and pressed on that 95 percent and emphasized rebounding and other things,” senior forward Mackenzie Cann said.

Once the second half opened, Morris stayed hot along with her fellow shooting ace, Cann. Cann and Morris combined for eight of Kentucky’s 19 points in the third quarter along with the team’s only two threes. 

Cann finished the game with her second consecutive double-double, putting up 15 points and leading the team with 10 rebounds. This was integral to Kentucky out-rebounding Morehead State 40-37. 

“Makenzie works at her game and works hard in practice. She’s a big threat out there on the court, and her double-double came from being really hard and tough on the boards,” coach Matthew Mitchell said about Cann’s performance.

Senior center Alyssa Rice also made her presence in the quarter with three points and a rebound, finishing the game with seven points and eight rebounds. 

Despite freshman center Dorie Harrison fouling out in the fourth quarter, the team put the game away by making nine of their 11 shots and fighting hard down low with eight defensive rebounds and 10 points in the paint. 

The undefeated Cats come back to Memorial Coliseum on Sunday, Nov. 26 to take on the Marshall Thundering Herd at 2 p.m.