UK women dominant in exhibition win over Lee
Team shows offensive diversity around All-American Howard
LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – The 13th-ranked University of Kentucky women’s basketball team was tested briefly Thursday night before pulling way midway through the first-quarter on the way to a 95-51 route of visiting Lee University in UK’s only exhibition game of the season.
With injured senior Blair Green, of Harlan, cheering them on, UK turned a tight 14-12 game midway through the first quarter into a 29-12 lead with a 15-0 run to end the first quarter.
UK’s size, speed and reach continued to dominate in the second quarter (click here for stats) as they built a 56-27 advantage. The second half gave UK a chance to see plenty of reserves and different combinations.
Much of the Wildcats’ first-half offense came off fast breaks from steals or rebounds and outlet passes. In the set offense, they were able to push the ball inside and shot well from beyond the arc, using their height advantage to grab rebounds on misses. Coach Kyra Elzy said it all was part of a plan (Click to watch post-game press conference).
For the game, UK was 6 of 17 from three-point land while Lee was 6 of 15.
If UK showed a weakness, it was at the free-throw line where they were just 9 of 20. They outrebounded the scrappy Lee squad 41-28.
The UK women open their season Tuesday when Presbyterian visits. They then host the University of North Alabama Thursday before getting an early test in Indianapolis against 8th-ranked Indiana on Nov. 14.
Dre’una Edwards scored 21 points, grabbed eight rebounds and had four steals while preseason All-American Rhyne Howard had 17 points, seven rebounds, four assists and four steals. Olivia Owens had 16 points and seven rebounds for the Cats (Click to watch players react).
The Cats hit 40 of 78 (51.3 percent) from the floor in the game. Kentucky used its pressure defense to force 29 Lee turnovers. The Cats were able to convert those miscues into 32 points.
The teams would be tied 12-12 before Kentucky asserted itself. Over the last 4:56 of the first period, the Cats outscored the Flames 17-0 to take a 29-12 advantage. Freshman Jada Walker sparked the rally with a steal and layup and, later, a three from the top of the key.
Lee would stop the run early in the second period on a basket by Hannah Garrett. But Kentucky responded by scoring the next 12 points, 10 of which were from Howard, to lead 41-14 with 7:11 left in the half.
Later in the second, Schubert would hit a three for Lee to cut the UK lead to 43-19. But the Cats would score the next seven, six of them by Edwards, to extend the lead to 50-19.
An 8-2 run by Lee cut the UK advantage to 52-27 but the Cats would score the last four points of the half to lead 56-27 at the half. Howard scored 15 points in the first half, Edwards had 13 and Owens added 10. The Cats shot 57.1 percent from the floor in the half and scored 18 points off 14 Lee turnovers.
he Cats turned it on to start the fourth quarter. UK scored the first 10 points of the period, holding Lee without a point for 4:39 and stretching the lead to 86-47.
Lee’s Schubert led all scorers with 28 points. She hit 12 of 15 from the floor, including all three of her shots from behind the arc and made her only free throw. She added six rebounds and three assists but she did commit 11 turnovers.
