*Photo by Regina Rickert
UK Hoops opened its seventh season under Coach Matthew Mitchell in front of 2314 in Memorial Coliseum. The Cats started the game on a 23-0 run and never looked back on their way to an 83-35 win over Eckerd. The Tritons remained scoreless until the 9:17 mark in the first half.
When asked about Kentucky’s suffocating defense in the first ten minutes, Eckerd Coach Paul Honsinger said, “Their pressure is unlike anything we can simulate in practice. We prepared as best as we could for them, but it seemed like there were seven or eight of them out there.”
Senior DeNesha Stallworth led Kentucky with 17 points, 6 rebounds and 2 steals. Samarie Walker added 12 points and 6 rebounds. Freshman MaKayla Epps chipped in 10 points in her first game as a Wildcat. Linnae Harper contributed 8 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists. UK’s frontcourt of Stallworth, Walker and Azia Bishop combined to score 36 of the Cats’ 83 points.
Liga Vente led Eckerd with 13 points and 6 rebounds. Kayla Bowlin added 8 points and 2 rebounds for the Tritons.
DeNesha Stallworth on finally playing an opposing team: “It definitely felt good playing against somebody else. We obviously didn’t shoot the ball well, but our effort was great. It was exciting to be on the floor as one (team).”
Kentucky struggled to get things flowing offensively, shooting only 37% from the field and converting on just 4-27 from beyond the arc. The Cats dominated the turnover battle, 41-17, with 16 steals. Junior Jennifer O’Neill tied Walker for the team-high in steals with 3.
UK outscored the Tritons 50-20 in the second half, including a 16-0 spurt midway through the half.
Kentucky outrebounded Eckerd 55-35. The Wildcats led by as many as 49 points.
Coach Mitchell was pleased with the Cats’ effort today. “It was not the prettiest game that we have ever played here or probably end up playing this season, but I thought they gave great effort.”
UK will travel to New York for a two-game road trip. The Cats will visit Marist in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., on Friday, Nov. 8 at 7 p.m. ET and Wagner in Staten Island, N.Y., on Sunday, Nov. 10 at 1 p.m. ET.
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