Kentucky Basketball: Women Fall to Tennessee in SEC Opener

Kentucky Basketball: Women’s team drops second straight game, losing to Tennessee, 72-65, in Knoxville to open SEC schedule

Tennessee’s Mercedes Russell scored 22 points, while Diamond DeShields add 21 and Jaime Nared 18, to upset No. 17 Kentucky 72-65 in Knoxville to open SEC play. The Lady Vols controlled the game throughout, holding off a late comeback attempt by the Cats to get the win.

GAME STATS

Kentucky’s Taylor Murray scored a career-high 23 points, along with six rebounds, two assists and two steals, giving a complete performance in her second game back from injury. Maci Morris chipped in 15 points, and Evelyn Akhator recorded her eight double-double of the season, with 11 points and 10 rebounds.

But Tennessee’s defense was tough, holding Kentucky to just 39.7-percent shooting in the game, on 25 of 63 shooting, including just 34.4 percent in the first half. A big part of that defensive pressure was thrown at Makayla Epps, as the Vols smothered the UK star with bigger defenders at every opportunity. Epps was held to just eight points on 3 of 13 shooting from the field.

This is the second road loss for Kentucky in as many games, as the Cats dropped a tough one in Cameron Indoor Stadium to No. 15 Duke on Dec. 29. With the loss, Kentucky falls to 9-5 (0-1, SEC) on the season, with four losses coming on the road.

For the series, Tennessee improves to 54-11 all-time against the Cats. Kentucky knocked off the Vols last season in Lexington, 64-63.

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Kentucky returns to action Thursday, Jan. 5 when the Cats host Missouri in Memorial Coliseum. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 PM EST; the SEC Network will broadcast the game.

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