Written by: Ainsley Saurers
“Kentuky wanted that game more than us. It wasn’t even close.” University of Tennessee’s head
coach, Kim Caldwell, said in her opening statement during the post-game press conference.
No.14 Kentucky women’s basketball hosted and defeated No.11 University of Tennessee Lady
Volunteers, Thursday in Historic Memorial Coliseum.
The team reached 182 blocks which broke the program single-season team block record. Clara
Strack broke a program record with 67 blocks. Tennessee’s Talaysia Cooper was the only Lady
Vol to enter double-digits points scored with 25. This was the most points that Tennessee has
lost by, in the era of Kim Caldwell.
Along with Strack’s record breaking block performance, she also put on a performance of 23
points and 15 rebounds. Georgia Amoore and Teonni Key were right behind her with 18 points
scored.
The first five on the court were: Amoore, Key, Dazia Lawrence, Strack, and Amelia Hassett.
Kentucky kicked things off jumping into an early 4-0 lead with baskets from Key and Strack.
Strack continued to ramp up the offense, scoring back-to-back baskets to push Kentucky further
into the lead, 8-2. Tennessee landed a basket, but Strack was on fire drilling another
three-pointer to grow the Cat’s lead, 11-4.
Amoore landed a three of her own and Key and Clara Silva each hooked a layup bringing the
score to 18-6. The Lady Vols drained a three, but Amoore drove to the basket scoring right at
the buzzer to finish up the first quarter, 20-9.
The second quarter was no different than the first, Kentucky remained relentless. The first four
points of the quarter were layups from Amoore and Key pushing the Lady Vols into a timeout.
Coming out of the timeout, the Lady Vols hit a three, and Strack responded with another basket.
Key got a basket of her own in response to a Tennessee basket. Tennessee landed a three, but
Strack remained consistent, scoring again, 30-17. Key made a pair of free throws to extend the
lead, 32-17.
Getting things started for the third quarter, Kentucky had a 8-2 run. Silva hooked another one
into the hoop following some UT free throws. Lexi Blue utilized her time on the court answering
a Lady Vols basket with one of her own. The basket from Blue got the momentum moving for a
6-2 run from the Cats.
Silva hit a pair of free throws after a Tennessee three. The teams went back-and-forth with
baskets and then Key scored again. Tennessee scored the next three, but it was brief and did
not get them far. Kentucky finished the third quarter with a 9-3 run.
It was a quick final quarter that consisted of another layup from Amoore and some baskets from
Strack that would put Kentucky into the lead by 24-points. The Lady Vols tried, but could not
return, giving the game to the Cats.
Kentucky will be on the road and return to action this Sunday to play South Caroline in South
Carolina. Tipoff will be at 2 p.m.
Image by The Kentucky Kernel
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