UK ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC RELATIONS  WOMEN’S BASKETBALL POSTGAME NOTES  KENTUCKY VS. CINCINNATI SATURDAY, NOV. 25, 2023 

UNIVERSITY OF VIRGIN ISLANDS SPORTS AND FITNESS CENTER – ST. THOMAS, U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS


Cincinnati 65, Kentucky 41– FINAL 

   
Team Records and Series Notes   

  • Kentucky is 2-5 in 2023-24, while Cincinnati is 3-3 this season. 
  • The University of Kentucky women’s basketball program is in its 50th season.
    • UK has an 896-593 (.602) all-time record, just four wins away from 900. 
  • Kyra Elzy is in her fourth season as the head coach of the Wildcats, holding a 51-45 (.531) overall record.   
  • Kentucky remains the leader in the all-time series with Cincinnati, 19-7. 
  • Kentucky will host Boston College in the ACC / SEC Challenge on Thursday, Nov. 30 at 7 p.m. ET at the Clive M. Beck Center on the campus of Transylvania University.
    • The game will be televised on SEC Network. 

Team Notes   

  • Kentucky used the starting combination Brooklynn Miles, Maddie Scherr, Saniah Tyler, Amiya Jenkins and Ajae Petty for the second straight game and the fourth time this season.
    • Kentucky is 2-2 when using that starting combination. 
    • The Wildcats won the opening tip. 
    • Saniah Tyler was the first player to score for Kentucky. 
    • Zennia Thomas was the first substitute off the bench for Kentucky. 
       

How It Happened 

  • Saniah Tyler scored first in the game on Kentucky’s first possession.
    • Cincinnati tied the game, 2-2, then Tyler came back to hit a 3-pointer. 
    • Kentucky held a lead over Cincinnati, 9-8, at 4:01, then UK went scoreless the rest of the period. 
  • Meanwhile, allowing Cincinnati to go on an 8-0 run. 
  • Cincinnati led Kentucky, 16-9, at the end of the first quarter. 
  • Ajae Petty scored first in the second quarter after drawing a foul and knocking down both of her shots to make it a five-point game.
    • In fact, Kentucky’s first four points of the second quarter came off Petty’s 4-of-4 effort from the line, as UK trailed Cincinnati, 20-13, at 7:51. 
    • Cincinnati then scored on back-to-back 3-pointers, then a jumper, to stretch its lead to 28-13, before Kentucky went on a 7-0 run to get it back to an 8-point game with two minutes to go in the first half.   
    • Kentucky stalled out in the final two minutes, while Cincinnati enjoyed a jumper and free throw in that time. 
    • Cincinnati led Kentucky, 31-20, at halftime.  
  • Maddie Scherr opened the second half with a 3-pointer to get back to an 8-point game. She would go on to make two more in the third quarter alone.
    • Despite her effort from the arc, Cincinnati kept scoring balanced.  
    • Following Scherr’s third 3-pointer of the third quarter at 4:42, which got it back to a 10-point game, Kentucky went cold as Cincinnati went on an 11-0 run. 
    • Kentucky trailed Cincinnati, 52-31, at the end of the third quarter. 
  • Both teams experienced a shooting drought in the fourth quarter, with Kentucky going 3-of-13, which included Maddie Scherr’s fifth 3-pointer of the game, and Cincinnati going just 4-of-12.
    • Cincinnati defeated Kentucky, 65-41. 

Player Notes   

  • Maddie Scherr, a senior guard, led Kentucky with 25 points, including a career-high tying five 3-pointers.
    • It marked the first game this season and the fifth game of her career she has led the team in scoring. 
    • It marked the first 20+ point game for a Kentucky player this season. 
    • It marked the fourth game this season and the 25th game of her career she has scored in double digits.  
    • It marked the first game this season and fourth game of her career she has scored at least 20 points.  
    • It marked the first game this season and the sixth game of her career she has made at least three 3-pointers. 
    • She added three rebounds, two blocks and one assist. 
  • Ajae Petty, a senior forward, led Kentucky with seven rebounds. .
    • It marked the sixth game this season and the 17th game in her career she has led Kentucky in rebounds.