Despite late push, Kentucky Women fall to Georgia, 72-67

LEXINGTON, KY. (LEX 18) — The 11th-ranked Kentucky Women’s Basketball team suffered its first three-game losing streak of the Kenny Brooks era after being iced out by the Georgia Lady Bulldogs, 72-67.

After moving the game up one day due to the incoming winter storm, the Wildcats had an icy start at the rim. Bulldogs controlled the game early with an 11-2 start. Georgia quickly found a 12-point lead. Jordan Obi found the net to stop the bleeding. It wasn’t until back-to-back threes from Asia Boone that UK awakened with some juice, 13-12 with under 3:00 left in the first quarter.

UGA’s Turner hit a jumper to close out the first on top, 21-12.

Kentucky found a 6-0 run to cut into their deficit. Kaelyn “KK” Carroll would hit a wide-open tre to get the Cats within five. But Georgia would keep the Cats at arm’s length—halftime: Georgia 34 to Kentucky’s 26.

At the half, UK shot 34.6% from the field and 27% from behind the arc, while the Dogs shot 42% and 40 from three. Obi led with 7 points, five rebounds, followed by Clara Strack and Boone with six apiece.

Out of the break, Kentucky went ⅘ from the 3-point line with KK taking UK’s first lead of the day, 42-39. Strack would find herself in foul trouble, committing her third during the quarter. The Cats would trade baskets with the Dogs, Boone hitting 15 points and keeping UK on top. The final stretch of the third, UGA pushed to 52 ahead of UK’s 50.

The Cats start the final quarter with some fire, a lay-up by Morgan to get within two points. But would soon find themselves in a three-minute field goal drought. Hassett coming up big late, hit a three to bring it to 58-62, with 57.8 left and the ball in UK’s hands, KK subbed in for Strack. She was slow to get up from a fall.

Morgan would turn the ball over, giving Georgia another chance to stretch the lead.

Hassett hits another three to bring UK within three, 67-70 with 6.7 left on the clock, but it's not enough.

Georgia gets its second ranked league win of the season, 72-67.

Boone and Hassett finished the day with 15 each, leading UK. Boone went 5/10 from three, and Hassett 4/8. The Cats committed 11 turnovers, down from 21 in their last outing. Despite most stats looking pretty similar for the teams, it's Georgia's bench points that stand out, 21 to Kentucky's 6.

Kentucky is now 17-5 overall and 4-4 in the SEC as the Cats head into their bye week.

Next for the Cats is Arkansas in Fayetteville: Sunday, February 1, at 3 p.m. ET.

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