Kentucky women’s basketball opened the SEC Tournament in Greenville with a dominant 94-64 "carbon copy" win over Arkansas. By getting six players in double figures and limiting starters' minutes, the Cats effectively preserved their legs for tomorrow’s 11 AM rematch against Georgia.
Kentucky has outstanding balance in 30-point win
The Cats generally only play 6-7 players, but today, everyone on the bench was in the game for at least 4 minutes. Six players scored in double figures on the day, led by Clara Strack, who had 20. She had 33 the last time these two met; clearly, she likes playing against the Razorbacks.
Amelia Hassett (18), Tonie Morgan (14), Jordan Obi (14), Teonni Key (12), and Asia Boone (10) all played terrific. The great play from Hassett and Boone was exemplified by the two exchanging the lead for most 3-pointers all-time in a single season. Hassett made 6, and Boone had 3; they are now tied for the lead heading into the next round.
Rotation and bench minutes
The biggest thing is that by winning by 30, Kentucky was able to play the bench some serious minutes. Amelia Hassett played 30 minutes; no other Cat reached that mark. Clara Strack and Teonni Key had 22. Against South Carolina, these two were on the floor for 33 and 30 minutes, respectively. That is massive in a tournament format where they will be required to play on consecutive days.
Because Kentucky fell to that 9-seed, they will have to play every single day of this tournament. That kind of physical output is hard to sustain over 5 days, but that is where Kentucky is. Winning the first game by 30 makes that a lot easier to manage.
Next Up: Georgia
The Cats will be back on the court tomorrow at 11 AM when they take on the Georgia Bulldogs. The Bulldogs took advantage of a scheduling change early this season when an ice storm forced the Sunday game to be changed to Saturday. Teonni Key was absent, and Georgia won 72-67.
Now Kentucky gets its shot at revenge.
How to watch Kentucky vs Georgia women's basketball in SEC Tournament
Location: Bon Secours Wellness Arena | Greenville, SC
Tip-off: 11:00 AM EST
Channel: SEC Network
Streaming: Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, FuboTV, Sling TV (Blue & Orange Plan