The No. 6 Kentucky women's basketball team won at Auburn 66-48 to improve to 8-0 in SEC play.
By JOHN ZENOR
AP Sports Writer
AUBURN, Ala. (AP) - A'dia Mathies didn't let a few errant shots deter her, even coming off her worst game of the season.
Mathies scored 20 points, 18 more than her last game against Florida, and No. 6 Kentucky forced 30 turnovers in a 66-48 victory over Auburn on Thursday night.
"A'dia knew we weren't happy with her on Sunday, with her lack of aggressiveness," Kentucky coach Matthew Mitchell said. "She's an intelligent woman, and she understood what she needed to do. She had a fantastic game. If she will just be aggressive, it opens things up for the rest of our team. She had a good night."
The Wildcats (19-2, 8-0 Southeastern Conference) took control with a 33-10 run that carried over into the second half. Kentucky moved within two wins of matching its best-ever start, 21-2 in the 1982-83 season.
Mathies helped ensure the Tigers (10-11, 2-6) didn't really challenge in the second half. When Auburn scored the first four points to pull within seven, Mathies answered with a jump shot and a 3-pointer.
When Auburn whittled six points off an 18-point deficit, she scored on a 3 and a drive.
Maegan Conwright shot 5 for 6 and had 10 points - six more than her season average - for the Wildcats.
"Tonight was clearly her best game of the year," Mitchell said.
Samarie Walker had only six points on 1-of-11 shooting for Kentucky, but grabbed 15 rebounds.
Blanche Alverson led Auburn with 15 points while Morgan Jennings had 10 on 5-of-6 shooting. The Tigers have lost five of six.
"We couldn't score. Their pressure is intense," Auburn coach Nell Fortner said. "They make it very hard for you to score. I thought we missed some opportunities as far as seeing some openings, but that is some intense pressure, and it's difficult for us."
Mathies shot 2 for 8 in the first half but kept firing way and hit three 3-pointers. She was coming off a 1-for-7, 2-point performance against Florida.
The Wildcats, who lead the nation in turnover margin, committed only 13.
They shot 36 percent (23 of 64) but made up for it by grabbing 21 offensive rebounds, including eight by Walker.
Kentucky kept pulling away with big spurts. The Wildcats scored 18 straight points to take a 29-16 lead late in the first half after falling behind by five.
"We started getting aggressive in our halfcourt defense," Mitchell said. "We substituted Maegan Conwright in the game, and she made a huge difference in our defensive energy. It was significant. It energized our entire team. We played some tough defense."
Said Conwright, "I know my role, and that's to play defense."
The Wildcats held Auburn scoreless for 8 1/2 minutes and started the run by forcing turnovers on five consecutive possessions.
The Tigers had only two field goals over the final 10 minutes of the half to fall behind 31-20, committing nine turnovers during that stretch.
"We were just turning the ball over," Alverson said. "We weren't taking care of it, we didn't have enough poise on the offensive end. That really hurt us in the first half. We could have taken that momentum and gone with that, but we had too many turnovers and they were getting offensive rebounds. I think that all had to do with that."
From UK Athletics
UK Hoops Postgame Notes
Auburn Arena
Auburn, Ala.
Jan. 26, 2012
Final Score: No. 6/6 Kentucky – 66, Auburn – 48
Team Records and Series Notes
Kentucky improves to 19-2, 8-0 SEC, while Auburn falls to 10-11, 2-6 SEC.
It is the first time in program history that UK has started conference play 8-0.
Kentucky’s 19-2 start ties its best start in program history through the first 21 games. Kentucky’s best start to a season was in 1982-83 (21-2).
Kentucky has now won a school-record 11 straight conference games dating back to last season.
UK has now won a school-record six-straight conference road games dating back to last season.
Kentucky is 16-25 against Auburn all-time, and 7-10 when the game is played in Auburn.
UK head coach Matthew Mitchell is 6-2 against the Tigers.
Thursday night’s win is Kentucky’s fourth in a row over the Tigers and its second straight win over Auburn on the Plains.
Coach Matthew Mitchell is 135-80 overall and 105-51 at UK.
Kentucky is 647-466 in 38 years of varsity play.
The Wildcats are 140-213 all-time in SEC play, and 43-25 under the direction of Mitchell.
UK is 4-0 in SEC road games this season.
Kentucky plays again Sunday at 2 p.m. ET vs. Alabama at Memorial Coliseum. The game will be televised by CSS and is Kentucky’s annual Alumni Day.
First Half Notes
Kentucky used the starting lineup of Amber Smith, A’dia Mathies, Bria Goss, Kastine Evans and Brittany Henderson for the sixth straight game. UK is 9-0 with this lineup.
UK has started a freshman in 124-of-156 games in the Matthew Mitchell era, including 91 straight.
Trailing 16-11, Kentucky went on an 18-0 run to take a 29-16 lead at the 3:02 mark, the largest run against an SEC opponent for the Wildcats this season
Five different Wildcats (Conwright, Evans, Mathies, Pinkett and Smith) scored during the run.
Kentucky held Auburn scoreless for 8:25, spanning from the 10:13 mark to the 1:48 mark.
Kentucky forced 16 first-half turnovers, tied for the most forced turnovers in the first half this season (Mississippi State, 1/8/12).
The Wildcats had 17 more shot attempts than Auburn.
Kentucky led Auburn 31-20 heading into the locker room.
The Wildcats are 15-0 this season when leading or tied at the half.
It was the fewest points scored in the first half by an SEC opponent this season.
Second Half Notes
The Tigers cut Kentucky’s lead to seven at 33-26 before the Wildcats went on an 11-0 run to take a 44-26 lead at the 14:00 mark.
The Tigers cut Kentucky’s lead to a dozen at 46-34, but a 7-0 UK run pushed it back to 53-34 and Auburn would get no closer than 16 the rest of the way.
Team/Game Notes
Kentucky forced 30 turnovers in the game.
UK has forced double-digit miscues in 103 consecutive games. The Cats are 76-27 during that span.
The 30 forced turnovers are the most in league play in the Matthew Mitchell era.
Kentucky has forced an SEC-high 613 turnovers this season (29.19 per game).
Kentucky has forced at least 10 turnovers in 36 of 42 halves this season.
Kentucky won the turnover battle (13-30).
UK has forced at least 20 turnovers in 19 of 21 games this season.
UK is 8-0 this season when forcing 30 or more turnovers.
UK got great production from its bench, outscoring Auburn’s bench 30-18.
The Wildcats are 17-1 when its bench outscores the opponent’s bench.
The Wildcats outrebounded Auburn 38-34.
UK has won or tied the rebounding battle in 15 of 21 games, including eight by more than 10.
With six made 3-pointers, UK extended its streak of consecutive games with a triple to 278.
Kentucky outscored Auburn 38-10 in points off turnovers. The +28 margin is UK’s second largest this season in conference action.
Attendance was 2,788.
Individual Notes
Junior guard A’dia Mathies scored a team-high 20 points, including three 3-pointers, while also dishing out a team-high tying three assists. Mathies’ 20 points give her 1,237 points in her career. She is 15th on the all-time scoring list and is 102 points shy of tying Belitta Croley at No. 14 all-time. Mathies had one steal, giving her 223 in her career. Mathis is now one steal shy of tying Sandy Harding at No. 8 on the all-time steals list. Mathies has recorded at least one steal in 21 straight games. Has scored 20 or more points in eight games this season.
Sophomore forward Samarie Walker grabbed a career-high 15 rebounds to go along with six points and two steals. Walker’s 15 rebounds are the most by a UK player since Brittany Henderson grabbed 18 boards against Vanderbilt on March 5, 2011.
Sophomore guard Maegan Conwright scored 10 points on 5-6 shooting. Conwright’s 10 points are her most since the second game of the season when she scored 10 against Jacksonville State on Nov. 15. Conwright’s five made field goals ties a career high. Conwright’s 22 minutes played are her most since logging 25 minutes against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Dec. 11.
Sophomore guard Kastine Evans scored six points, including a career-high tying two 3-pointers. Evans has hit at least one 3-pointer in each of the last four games, and has hit two 3-pointers in each of the past two games.
Freshman guard Bria Goss hit one 3-pointer to give her 26 for the year, and takes sole possession of No. 7 on the UK freshman 3-pointers made list.
