CATS WBB v. Tennessee – SEC Tourney – Postgame Notes

Greenville, S.C., – March 6, 2020

3-SEED KENTUCKY VS. 6-SEED TENNESSEE
No. 16 Kentucky 86, RV Tennessee 65 – FINAL

Team Records and Series Notes

• Kentucky is 22-7 on the year, while Tennessee is 21-10.
  • Both teams finished the league season 10-6.
• This was the 69th all-time meeting between Kentucky and Tennessee in women’s basketball.
  • Tennessee leads the all-time series 55-14, including a 9-1 advantage in neutral-site games.
  • Kentucky is 2-7 all-time against Tennessee in the SEC Tournament. The previous lone win was back in 1982 when UK defeated the Aggies in Lexington for the SEC Championship.
  • The Wildcats have won four of the last six meetings in the series, including three straight.
  • Eight of UK’s 14 all-time wins vs. Tennessee have come under Mitchell, who is 1-4 vs. the Lady Vols in the SEC Tournament.
  • This is the first time UK has won three straight meetings vs. the Lady Vols.
• Kentucky is 36-40 overall in the SEC Tournament, including a 17-12 mark under Mitchell.
  • UK is 16-14 all-time in quarterfinal games.
  • The Wildcats have won at least one game in the SEC Tournament 11 times under Mitchell.
  • This was the 11th time UK has been a top-four seed in the event and the 10th time UK has accomplished that under Mitchell.
  • UK is 1-0 all-time as a three seed in the event.
• Matthew Mitchell is in his 13th season as the head coach of the Wildcats.
  • Mitchell is 333-161 overall in his career and 303-132 during his tenure at Kentucky.
• Kentucky is ranked 16th in the latest AP Top 25 and 18th in the latest USA Today/Coaches Top 25.
• The Wildcats will return to action Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPNU against No. 2 seed Mississippi State in the semifinals.
  • This is the 16th all-time appearance in the semifinals for Kentucky, sitting 5-10 in semifinal games all-time. This is the 10th time Mitchell has led UK to the semifinals, sitting 4-5.
  • This is UK’s first semifinal appearance since 2018 when it fell 89-77 to eventual champion South Carolina.
  • UK made eight straight semifinals from 2010-2018.

Team Notes

• Kentucky used the starting combination of senior guards Sabrina Haines and Jaida Roper, sophomore guard Rhyne Howard, junior forward KeKe McKinney and senior forward Ogechi Anyagaligbo. 
  • This was the seventh time this season that UK has used this starting combination, sitting 4-3.
  • Howard scored first for Kentucky in the game. This was the team-leading ninth time this season that she has been the first Wildcat to score. 
• Both teams made five field goals in the first quarter, but Kentucky was able to have an advantage thanks to going 5-of-6 from the free-throw line.
  • The Lady Vols were 3-of-4 from 3 in the first 10 minutes, while UK was 2-of-7.
  • UK forced seven turnovers in the first quarter and scored seven points off those miscues.
• Tennessee scored the first basket of the second quarter, but the Wildcats answered with an 8-0 run hitting four straight field goals. The run gave UK its first double-digit lead of the game at 25-15 with 6:50 to go in the half.
• The Wildcats outscored Tennessee 27-15 in the second quarter thanks to going 12-of-17 from the field and 3-of-5 from long range.
  • UK forced Tennessee into 12 first-half turnovers and scored 13 points off those miscues.
• Both teams were strong offensively in the third quarter with UK outscoring UT 27-21 to increase its lead to 71-49 heading into the fourth quarter.
  • UK was 10-of-15 from the field and 5-of-7 from 3 in the third, while UT was 8-of-13 and 3-of-6 from long range.
• Kentucky went 11-for-24 in the game from long range marking the 14th time this season UK has hit 10 or more 3s in a game.
  • UK has hit 246 3-pointers this season which is the most 3s hit in a season in program history. 
• The Wildcats are no 7-0 this season following a loss and have not lost consecutive games all season.
• Six different Wildcats hit a 3 in the game while nine of the 11 Wildcats who played in the game scored at least one point.
• UK hit 50.8 percent from the field in the game, which was its highest field-goal percentage against a league opponent this season and the third highest overall.
• UK and Tennessee finished equal in paint points at 24.
  • UK is now 13-1 when they score the same amount or more paint points than its opponent.
• The Wildcats are now 358-24 all-time when they score 80 or more points, including 112-6 under Mitchel.

Player Notes

• Sophomore guard Rhyne Howard scored a game-high tying 24 points, going 8-of-5 from the field and 5-of-8 from long range with eight rebounds.   
  • Howard has 1,132 career points, staying 28th all-time in scoring in program history.
    • Howard needs 3 more to tie Karen Mosley for 27th all-time on UK’s scoring list.
  • Howard has hit 156 career 3-pointers, which ranks eighth most in program history.
    • Howard needs 6 more makes from 3 to tie Jenny Pfeffier for seventh all-time on that list at 162 makes.
  • Howard has hit 82 3-pointers this season, ranking first on the UK single-season list.
    • During the game, she surpassed Sara Potts’ 81 makes.
  • Howard has scored 20 or more points in 15 of her last 16 games.
  • Howard led Kentucky with three steals. 
  • In 58 career games, Howard has recorded some impressive numbers:
    • Hit at least one 3 in 52 career games, including 25 games this season.
    • Made three or more 3s in 26 games, including 14 games this season.
    • Made five or more 3s in 11 games, including 6 games this season.
    • Scored 10+ points in 51 games, including 25 games this season.
    • Scored 15+ points in 42 games, including 20 games this season.
    • Scored 20+ points in 30 games, including 20 games this season.
    • Scored 25+ points in 18 games, including 12 games this season.
    • Scored 30+ points in 3 games – all happening this season.
    • Led UK in scoring in 37 games, including 21 games this season.
    • Led UK in rebounding in 32 games, including 13 games this season.
    • Led UK in assists in 15 career games, including 9 games this season.
    • Led UK in steals in 23 career games, including 15 games this season.
    • Led UK in blocks in 21 career games, including 12 games this season.
• Senior guard Sabrina Haines scored 12 points going 4-of-7 from the field and 2-of-4 from 3.
  • Haines has scored 10 or more points in 18 games this season with UK sitting 16-2 in those games.
  • Haines had four assists, which tied a season best.
• Senior guard Jaida Roper led Kentucky with five assists.
  • Roper has led UK in assists 14 times this season and 32 times in her career.
  • Roper has earned three or more assists in 18 games this season and 38 career games.
• Junior forward KeKe McKinney scored seven points with five rebounds and a block.  
• McKinney has scored seven or more points in four straight games, tying the longest such streak this season for the forward.
• McKinney has five or more rebounds 13 games this season.
• Junior guard Chasity Patterson scored 11 points, going 1-of-3 from long range. 
  • Patterson has scored 10 or more points in nine games this season.
• Junior forward Tatyana Wyatt scored a season-high 14 points in the game, going 7-of-10 from the field with three rebounds.
  • Wyatt has scored 10 or more points in six games this season.
  • The seven field goals made set a season high and was one off her career high.