Kentucky Women Dominate Morehead State 73-48
Kentucky coach Kyra Elzy, and guards Blair Green and Maddie Scherr share their post UK-Morehead State thoughts.
Compiled by UK Athletics
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL POSTGAME NOTES
KENTUCKY VS. MOREHEAD STATE
FRIDAY, NOV. 11, 2022 MEMORIAL COLISEUM - LEXINGTON, KY.
Kentucky 73, Morehead State 48 – FINAL
Team Records and Series Notes
The University of Kentucky women’s basketball program is in its 49th season with an 884-569 (.608) all-time record.
The Wildcats improved to 2-0 this season, including 2-0 at home in 2022-23.
Kyra Elzy is in her third season as the head coach of the Wildcats, holding a 39-21 overall record.
Elzy is 24-7 at home, including 22-5 record inside Memorial Coliseum and 2-2 mark inside Rupp Arena.
Kentucky leads the all-time meetings with Morehead State, 33-4, in a series that began in 1970.
UK leads the all-time meetings with MSU in games played in Lexington, 23-1.
The Wildcats have won the last 16 straight meetings with the Eagles.
Kentucky will host Coastal Carolina for its next game Sunday, Nov. 13 at 1 p.m. ET in Memorial Coliseum for Daddy and Daughters day.
Team Notes
Kentucky held Morehead State to 48 points.
It marked the first time it has held an opponent to under 50 points since allowing just 44 points against SC Upstate on Dec. 19, 2021.
The Wildcats held the Eagles to just 14 points in the fast half, the first time the Cats have held an opponent to under 20 points in the first half since allowing just 18 points against Missouri on Jan. 31, 2021.
Kentucky used the starting combination Jada Walker, Maddie Scherr, Robyn Benton, Blair Green and Nyah Leveretter. The Wildcats are 2-0 using that starting combination this season.
Kentucky won the opening tip.
Maddie Scherr was the first Kentucky player to score in the game.
Adebola Adeyeye and Emma King were the first substitutes off the bench.
Kentucky had a 13-0 run to start the game, thanks to the scoring efforts of five different players.
UK’s first three field goals in the game were three-point field goals scored by Maddie Scherr, Emma King and Eniya Russell.
The Wildcats led the Eagles, 17-6, at the end of the first quarter.
That is the fewest amount of points the Cats have allowed in a quarter so far this season.
Morehead State opened the scoring in the second quarter to attempt to eat at Kentucky’s lead.
Blair Green responded with a jumper at 8:38 in the second quarter.
Both teams went scoreless for the next three-plus minutes.
The scoring drought was capped by Amiya Jenkins’ 3-pointer just under the five-minute mark.
Kentucky improved its lead over Morehead State, 24-10.
The Eagles went on a 4-0 run as the clock counted toward the final minute of the second quarter.
Russell scored on a layup down the stretch.
Kentucky led Morehead State, 26-14, at halftime.
The Eagles scored first coming out of the half.
The Wildcats responded in a big way, scoring three straight 3-pointers, first by Robyn Benton, followed by Green, then capped by Scherr.
Kentucky turned that into an 11-0 run.
That run featured a disruption in Morehead State’s inbound play. Adeyeye forced a steal, then passed it to Scherr, who would dish it to Walker for a layup under the basket.
That would eventually turn into an 18-0 run as the clock approached the five-minute mark in the third quarter.
Kentucky’s run was snapped by a Morehead State 3-pointer, which turned into a 9-0 run for the Eagles.
UK led MSU, 44-25.
The Cats went on another 6-0 run to cap the third quarter, as the Wildcats led the Eagles, 54-27, ahead of the final 10 minutes.
Once again, Morehead State opened the third quarter in scoring.
Green and Adebola responded with a jumper and a layup, respectively, before Morehead State rallied for an and-one.
Scherr followed with her fourth 3-pointer of the game. Benton added a layup under the basket, as Kentucky led Morehead State, 63-32.
The Eagles went on a 7-0 run to dip under the five-minute mark in the game.
From there, it was back-and-forth until the end of the game, as Kentucky defeated Morehead State, 73-48.
Kentucky shot a season-high 51.7 percent from the field on 30-of-42 shooting.
The Wildcats also scored 10 3-pointers on 43.5 percent from the arc.
UK forced MSU to commit 30 turnovers, scoring 38 points off those miscues.
Kentucky had 24 assists on 30 field goals.
Player Notes
Kentucky had three players score in double digits, including Maddie Scherr (14), Blair Green (13) and Robyn Benton (11).
Junior guard Maddie Scherr led the team with 14 points on 5-of-7 from the field.
She tied her career high in three-point field goal makes with four, going 4-of-4 from the arc.
Scherr added a career-high tying nine assists. She also added six rebounds, three blocks and a steal.
Graduate guard Blair Green had 13 points on 6-of-11 from the field, while tacking on four rebounds, an assist and a steal.
Graduate guard Robyn Benton scored 11 points on 5-of-11 from the field.
It marked the second straight game this season she has scored in double digits.
She also had three rebounds and three assists.
It marked the second straight game this season she has recorded at least three assists.
Freshman guard Amiya Jenkins had a career-high eight points on 3-of-4 from the field.
The rookie made her first career 3-pointer in the game.
Graduate forward Adebola Adeyeye led the team in boards for the second straight game with seven rebounds.
She also had three steals and an assist and a block.
Despite sophomore guard Jada Walker only playing 12 minutes because of foul trouble, she produced four assists and a steal.
Freshman guards Saniah Tyler and Cassidy Rowe and freshman forward Zennia Thomas made their collegiate debuts.
POSTGAME QUOTES
Kentucky Head Coach Kyra Elzy
On if tonight’s shooting percentage is what you expected…
“Yes. We need to be [shooting] 40% or higher. We’re looking for transition 3s. We’re looking for dribble drives, kick outs, open 3s - we can knock those down. Good to see the ball go in the basket at Memorial Coliseum tonight with 10 3s.”
On if there was a message during halftime…
“Yes, we had a message. I just challenged them defensively. I didn’t think we were flying around, playing with the energy that we needed to play with. I started Ade [Adebola Adeyeye] in the third quarter. I thought she brought the energy and intensity that we needed defensively. Then Robyn [Benton] hits a 3-pointer and I just felt like it became contagious. It was good to see us make a run. That’s the spark and energy that we need to put together for four quarters, and then we’ll be in business.
On the chemistry on the team…
“We have unbelievable chemistry off the court. They really organically came together this summer. Their personalities mesh. They have one common goal - they’re trying to win. But I still feel like we’re still trying to find our chemistry on the court, but you don’t get that until you just play together. We will get in rhythm but having the off-court chemistry will help on the court, it's just going to take time. “
On closing remarks...
“Thank you to the veterans. Happy Veterans Day. It was great to honor them today and all they do to serve our country and protect us. I hope to see everyone out in Memorial Coliseum on Sunday for Daddy-Daughter Day at 1 o’clock.”
Kentucky Student-Athletes
#22, Maddie Scherr, G
On what you contribute your confidence to …
“A few things – I think definitely the coaching staff believe in me and you know, kind of just, getting older. A huge part of everyone’s game is the mental game, so I think I kind of came in this year with that confidence. In knowing [that] I gotta keep reminding myself, you know, even if that’s during the game, keep shooting, keep shooting. I got my coaches and my teammates in my ear telling me the same thing, so I probably would contribute it to those two factors.”
On liking the point guard position...
“I don’t know if I’d say it’s a liking for the point guard spot as much as I just like getting assists. I can still run the wing if Jada’s [Walker] up there, or whoever it is, or even Blair or Rob [Robyn Benton] gets the ball – we can still push. So, yeah, I still don’t have a preference, but I definitely like getting assists, too, obviously.”
On takeaways from the game tonight…
“I’d probably say something we can work on, and this is something we’re building – just team chemistry. Consistency on the offense end, too, putting together four good quarters. I think a lot of that comes with locking in and committing to riding our plays fully, not breaking it off soon, and not doing one pass and [a] shot. Kind of moving the ball – getting everybody to share the ball. A lot of that comes with being older, and knowing how to play the game of basketball. I think that will come, but I think that’ s an encouraging thing to look at cause I think we’re getting there, for sure. But yeah, what Blair [Green] said too – I think to defensive part, we need to lock in. Overall, we did a great job. Definitely coming out in the third quarter, that first five minutes was huge.”
#5, Blair Green, G
On your progression through shooting struggles…
“Yeah, I think it’s just kind of giving myself grace. That was my first game coming back from my injury, and just, you know – the nerves and stuff. Yeah, I think me and Coach [Kyra] Elzy kind of talked about I’m not just a three-point shooter. I am also a mid-range shooter and stuff, so just kind of focusing on seeing the ball go in. Just taking that one dribble pull-up, just kind of what I’m used to, and just getting that down and then the three will come eventually, so I’m not too worried about that. But yeah, just go and get it in the mid-range and just focus in on hitting more with my teammates.”
On building team chemistry…
“I think this is a really good group. We all clicked really well as soon as we got on campus. There’s a lot of new personalities and I think everyone gels really well and loves hanging out with each other - hasn’t been too hard but I think the chemistry on the court is still coming. I thought we did a lot better job with just moving the ball around - just hitting the extra person tonight, and just getting after it together. So, I think each game we see more and more improvement, so, it’s just getting us ready for those bigger games and there’s some stuff we still gotta work on but the chemistry I think is still coming along and we’re just continuing to work on it every day.”
On Emma King’s performance off the bench…
“Yeah, I was so excited to see Emma [King] get out there and hit those shots, and just make a couple plays inside with her passing. I was happy for her – she works so hard every day and she is always putting up extra shots. So, just to see that pay off tonight, I think it’s just an even bigger confidence booster for her and just showing the coaches and everyone what she can do and what she can bring to this team. So yeah – really proud of her for stepping in and hitting those shots, I thought she looked really confident.”
