Kentucky improves to 10-0 with the win, while Louisville slips to 6-5.
With the victory, Kentucky sets the school record for best start to a season
at 10-0. The previous high was 9-0 set by the 1980-81 squad.
Today's attendance of 7,323 was a season high and the eighth-highest attendance
mark in Memorial Coliseum women's basketball history.
Kentucky's 34-point win over Louisville was the second-largest margin of
victory in series history. Kentucky defeated Louisville 75-37 (38-point margin)
in Louisville on Dec. 15, 1975.
Kentucky has won 16 of its last 17 games against non-conference opponents.
Coach Matthew Mitchell's career mark improves to 73-61, including a 43-32
record at Kentucky. Mitchell is 1-2 all-time against Louisville.
Kentucky improves to 29-17 in the Louisville series, including a 19-4 mark
in Lexington. The victory snaps a five-game losing streak against the Cardinals.
The Wildcats are now 68-30 all-time against teams from the BIG EAST conference,
2-0 this season.
UK owns a 585-447 all-time record in 36 years of varsity women's basketball,
including a 317-138 mark at storied Memorial Coliseum.
Up next: Kentucky plays host to UT-Martin Tuesday, Dec.
22 at 7 p.m. EST. The game will be broadcast live on the Big Blue Sports
Radio Network. Neil Price will call the action.
Team Game Notes
Key Run: Kentucky never trailed in the contest, scoring
10 of the game's first 12 points, including four points from Victoria Dunlap
in the paint and a three-pointer by Amani Franklin. Louisville cut the Wildcat
lead to six points twice inside the first eight minutes before Kentucky sprinted
on an 18-6 run to lead 30-12 with 7:50 to go. Six different Wildcats scored
during the run led by Dunlap's five points. Consecutive conventional three-point
plays off the break by Amber Smith and Carly Morrow highlighted the spurt.
Kentucky never trailed by less than 16 points the rest of the half.
Kentucky set the school mark for turnovers forced in a game, causing Louisville
to commit 38 miscues.
The Cardinals had 24 turnovers in the first half. The Wildcats scored 20
points of U of L turnovers in the first half. The Wildcats have caused 20
or turnovers in eight of 10 games this season, including each of the last
seven contests.
Kentucky set the school record for free throws made (36) and attempted
(52) against the Cardinals. The previous marks of 33 made free throws made
and attempted (50) also were set against Louisville (2/19/92).
Kentucky's 34-point win over Louisville was the second-largest margin of
victory this season for the Wildcats. UK posted a 52-point win over Florida
A&M, 91-39, on Dec. 13. UK has defeated all 10 opponents by double digits,
including four opponents by 30 or more.
Kentucky set a season-high with 21 steals against Louisville and has now
recorded double-digit steal totals in seven games this season, including
six in a row.
The Wildcats are averaging 40.1 points in the first stanza this season.
UK netted a season-high 57 points in the first half against Miami (Ohio)
on Dec. 1. Kentucky has scored 40 or more points in the first half in five
of 10 games this season.
Kentucky reached the 100-point plateau for the second time this season
and 34 th in program history. Earlier this season, UK recorded a 107-53 win
over Miami (Ohio) on Dec. 1. Kentucky is 34-0 when scoring 100 points.
The Wildcats are 257-19 since 1974 when scoring 80 points or more. UK is
11-1 under Coach Mitchell when scoring 80 points or more. UK has scored at
least 65 points in every game this season.
Kentucky hit three three-pointers and has now hit at least one three-pointer
in 194 consecutive games, dating back to 2003-04.
UK's 49 points at intermission marked the second-most first-half points
scored by the Wildcats this season. Kentucky scored 57 in the first stanza
against Miami (Ohio) on Dec. 1.
With the return of Victoria Dunlap to the starting lineup, Kentucky Coach
Matthew Mitchell has begun nine of 10 games this season with Dunlap, Amber
Smith, Amani Franklin, Carly Morrow, and A'dia Mathies. Dunlap missed the
Florida A&M (Dec. 13) contest after suffering a concussion on Dec. 11.
It marked the first time in 74 games that Dunlap was not in the starting
lineup.
Dunlap scored 27 points on 10-of-21 shooting from the field to go with
nine rebounds and a career-high eight steals. It marked her second-best scoring
output of the season.
Her 21 field-goal attempts were a career-high.
She has scored 20 or more points in four games this season and reached
double figures in points in every game she has played this season.
She has recorded at least one steal in 15 consecutive games. She has
swiped three or more steals in each of her last five games.
Her game-high four blocks tied a career high.
Amber Smith scored a career-high 19 points on 5-of-9 shooting. She made
a career-high nine free throws on 10 attempts from the foul line. Smith has
scored in double figures six times this season, including three of the last
four contests.
Mathies had 15 points and has mow scored 10 or more points in eight of
10 games. She had four steals and is averaging 4.3 steals over the last four
games.
Sophomore Crystal Riley made her first appearance as a Wildcat, coming
off the bench at the 16:13 mark of the first half. She finished with six
points in 15 minutes against Louisville. Riley played one semester at LSU,
averaging 1.8 points and 1.4 rebounds before transferring to UK last December.
She sat out the just-concluded 2009 fall semester at Kentucky. She will have
three years of eligibility remaining.
