Kentucky-Alabama Postgame Notes

Jan. 2, 2015

Recap | Box Score | Photo Gallery

Kentucky improves to 12-2, 1-0 SEC, while Alabama falls to 11-5, 0-1 SEC.
- This was the conference opener for both teams.
Kentucky moves to 723-488 (62.2) all-time in 41 seasons of varsity women’s basketball and 189-158 (54.5) in the month of January.
Matthew Mitchell is in his eighth season as the head coach of the Wildcats. He already ranks first on UK’s all-time wins list with 182 and his winning percentage is .740 percent.
- Mitchell is now 72-37 in SEC play, 31-24 on the road.
Kentucky has won its last four SEC openers, and is 17-16 all-time in conference openers.
This was the 42nd meeting between the programs since UK became a varsity sport in 1974-75.
- UK leads the series 25-17 and the series is now even at 10-10 in Tuscaloosa.
- Kentucky has won three straight in Foster Auditorium.
Today’s attendance was 2,654.
Next up: UK will play Ole Miss in its SEC home opener on Sunday at 2 p.m. ET. The game will be live on the SEC Network with Cara Capuano and Nell Fortner.

UK started with the lineup of Janee Thompson, Kyvin Goodin-Rogers, Linnae Harper, Makayla Epps and Azia Bishop.
- UK is now 2-0 with this lineup and has started the last two games with this starting five.
Freshman Alexis Jennings led UK with 14 points and two rebounds.
- Marks the second straight game she has scored double figures in the first half.
- Also had an assist and a steal, going 6-of-9 from the floor and 2-of-4 from the free throw line.
Kentucky forced Alabama into 13 turnovers, scoring 13 points off those turnovers.
Alabama outrebounded Kentucky 31-13, scoring 14 second-chance points to UK’s four.
UK is now 5-2 when trailing at the half.

UK began the second half with Jen O’Neill replacing Kyvin Goodin-Rogers from its starting five.
Trailing by 10 points, Janee Thompson scored seven straight points to pull UK within three.
Led by two 3-pointers from Kyvin Goodin-Rogers, UK then used an 18-0 run to give UK a 72-55 lead with 4:43 to play.
After getting outrebounded 31-13 (-18) in the first half, Kentucky outrebounded the Crimson Tide 20-19 in the second half.
UK went 18-of-37, shooting 48.6 from the floor in the second half.
The Wildcats held Alabama to just 8-of-21 (31.8) from the floor.
Kentucky outscored the Crimson Tide 50-30 in the second half.

Today marks the fifth time this season UK has had to overcome at least a nine-point deficit to win.
- Marks the third time this season UK has trailed by double digits in the second half and come back to win. UK also defeated nationally-ranked Baylor and Louisville after trailing by double-digits in the second half.
UK shot 30-of-66 (45.5) in the game, including 6-14 (42.9) from the 3-point line.
- The six 3s are the most since the Cats had eight at Central Michigan (11/22/14).
Kentucky forced 27 turnovers and has now forced 20 or more in 13 of 14 games this season, including seven straight.
- UK scored 39 points off of turnovers, to Alabama’s 13 points.
- UK is now 8-1 this season when forcing double-digit turnovers.
The Wildcats outscored Alabama 34-15 in bench points.
UK improves to 318-21 since 1974 when scoring 80 or more points, 6-0 this season.
- The Cats are now 72-3 under Mitchell when scoring 80 points or more.
- Kentucky has scored 80+ in the last two games.
Every UK player that played in the game scored at least one point.

Junior point guard Janee Thompson charted her first career double-double (points/assists) with 12 points and a career-high 10 assists in the game.
- Marked UK’s first points/assists double-double since Carly Ormerod vs. Ball State on March 19, 2007.
- Marked the most assists in a single game since Omerod’s 11 vs. Ball State.
- Marked her seventh double-figure scoring game of the season.
- All of 12 points came in the second half.
Freshman forward/center Alexis Jennings came off the bench for 21 points and 5 rebounds.
- Now has back-to-back 20-point games after scoring 27 vs. Tennessee State.
- Second time UK has had back-to-back 20-point performers this season (Makayla Epps, vs. Oklahoma and South Florida).
- Has scored in double figures five times this season, including four straight.
- Kentucky was +13 when she was on the floor.
Sophomore guard Makayla Epps had 14 points and seven rebounds in the game in her second start of the season.
- Marked her 11th double-figure scoring game this season, including second straight.
- Had three assists to go along with a career-high tying three steals.
Senior guard Jen O’Neill scored 12 points off the bench.
- Marked her team-high 57th career scoring game, including 11th this season.
- Is now just one point shy of tying Jocelyn Mills (1,170, 1990-93) on UK’s all-time scoring list with 1,169 points.

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