Last Second Shot Lifts UK Women Over Arkansas
Lexington, KY – University of Kentucky’s outstanding freshman Rhyme Howard nailed the game winning show with 1.3 seconds left on the clock to lift #17 Kentucky over visiting Arkansas 61-59 Sunday at Memorial Coliseum.
With the game tied at 59 with 22 second to play, UK coach Matthew Mitchell called time out. He designed a play to get the ball to senior star Maci Morris. Arkansas expected and defended Morris from getting the ball. Instead, it was Howard who found herself with the ball and time running off the clock.
Howard took the jumper from the elbow and watched as it bounced around before falling through the hoop with 1.3 seconds left remaining in the game. She then intercepted the inbound pass from Arkansas as time expired and UK hung on for the two point win.
“She just timed it absolutely perfectly,” Mitchell said of Howard’s go-ahead bucket
“She showed great poise out there for a freshman. It would have been hard out there today without her,” he added.
UK struggled with Arkansas’s defense for most the game and coach Mitchell credited the entire team for finding a way win. “A lot of things didn’t go our way and to find a way to win says something about this team.”
Arkansas coach Mike Nieghbors praised UK after their victory. “This is the best UK team I’ve seen in a while,” Neighbors said. He also paid tribute to Howard. “She had my vote a long time ago for Freshman of the Year. She’s really got it now.”
Howard finished the game with 18 points and 14 rebounds. Morris finished the game with 11 points while fellow senior Taylor Murray finished with 16 points and seven rebounds.
Arkansas was led by sophomore standout Chelsea Dungee who led her team in scoring with 20 points. Fellow teammate Kiara Williams recorded double-double with 14 points and 17 rebounds.
Kentucky improved their record to 21-5 overall and 8-4 in the SEC and will return to action Tuesday night when they travel to South Carolina to take on the 11th ranked Gamecocks.