Howard Hits 17 Fourth-Quarter Points To Spark UK To 67-55 Win Over Auburn

KYRA ELZY, RHYNE HOWARD POSTGAME ZOOM

AUBURN, Ala. – All-American Rhyne Howard scored 17 of her 29 points in the fourth quarter as the Kentucky women's basketball team topped Auburn 67-55 on Tuesday night at Auburn Arena, snapping a four-game losing skid.

Emma King of Kentucky (UK Athletics Photo by Eddie Justice)

Howard scored 12 points in the first half but did not score in the third period. She made up for that in the final stanza, helping the Cats come back after briefly falling behind. For the game, Howard hit nine of 21 from the floor, including five of 12 from behind the arc. She made all six of her free throws and added nine rebounds, three assists and two steals.

Jazmine Massengill was the only other Cat in double figures, scoring 11. Massengill also had four rebounds and four assists for the Cats.

Kentucky (9-7, 2-4 SEC) was again shorthanded, with just seven players in uniform. The short bench created opportunities and junior Emma King took advantage of hers. The Lincoln County (Ky.) native scored a career-high eight points, a career-high four rebounds and she tied her career high of three assists in the win.

Auburn had rallied from a 13-point first-half deficit to take a lead in the final five minutes, but the Tigers could not overcome a late Kentucky run.

UK returns to action on Thursday, visiting Vanderbilt at Memorial Gymnasium. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. ET and the game can be seen on SEC Network Plus.