Kentucky women's basketball honored its 5 seniors shortly before tipoff. Tonie Morgan, Teonni Key, Amelia Hassett, Josie Gilven, and Jordan Obi all received well-deserved ovations before the game tipped off. Quick side note, HMC totally bought into the Blue-White game way better than Rupp Arena. It looked much better.
No. 3 South Carolina was never going to make this an easy Senior Day. But the Cats were locked in and ready for a battle.
An Amelia Hassett 3 gave Kentucky a 9-7 lead heading into the first media timeout. The Cats' defense was causing all kinds of problems for the Gamecocks, who had 5 turnovers in the first 6 minutes.
But it was South Carolina's length inside that proved a hard matchup for Kentucky early on. Madina Okot had 7 quick points. And the Cats had two of their shots blocked and several altered. It didn't deter the drives, though, as Tonie Morgan kept going into the teeth of the defense.
Morgan had a chance to give Kentucky a one-point lead from the free throw line, but missed 2, and that seemed to fuel South Carolina, as they stretched to their biggest lead of the game, 19-13, heading into the second quarter.
South Carolina started the game a blistering 8-13 from the floor. Kentucky was struggling, shooting just 6 of 17. But the Cats were still in touch, for now.
2nd quarter saw South Carolina punch the Cats
Right out of the gate, Tonie Morgan drove and missed a layup badly, which led to a South Carolina break where Joyce Edwards converted two free throws on Clara Strack's second foul of the game. It sent Kentucky's star to the bench.
Things only got worse from there, as Kentucky saw South Carolina race out to a 9-2 run. Kentucky's shooting got worse as well; they opened the quarter just 1-7.
Everything was way too easy for South Carolina, and Kenny Brooks had seen enough. He took a time out with 4:30 to go in the 2nd with the Cats down 13, having scored only 4 points in the 2nd quarter.
Like so many times before Kenny went to Clara and she converted. But a banked in 3 from the Gamecocks with time running down in the shot clock had the Cats feeling blue. That is until Amelia Hassett found another one from deep. Clara Strack stepped through to cut the lead back down to single digits.
HMC came to its feet with a stop and a deep bomb from Asia Boone. Dawn Staley was forced to call a timeout as Kentucky was streaking.
With a 7 second differential the Gamecocks wound it down, but missed a 3. Boone found Strack but her half court jumper clanged off the back iron. 33-27.
3rd quarter was a back and forth affair, until it wasn't
Kentucky had a huge chance coming out of the break, Asia Boone converted from deep. The Cats got a stop and all of a sudden they could tie or cut it to one. Unfortunately, a Clara Strack turnover derailed the moment.
But the Lady Cats were far from done. An Asia Boone Bomb tied it up before Madina Okot again scored down low. Okot then stole it from Stack and converted on a breakaway.
The lead was 5 with 4:46 to go and Kentucky with the ball. They had 3 chances but couldn't find the bottom of the net. South Carolina didn't have that problem as Raven Johnson pushed it back to 7.
Tessa Johnson pushed it back to 9, and Kenny Brooks had no choice but to call a timeout. But it didn't stop the run. Another Kentucky turnover and another easy South Carolina layup had them back up double digits and ended the quarter on a 14-4 run. Could the Cats answer the bell one more time?
4th quarter saw the Cats respond
The Cats opened the 4th quarter and immediately cut the lead back down to single digits. Dawn Staley took a timeout with 6:44 to go and the game 54-45.
Clara Strack converted a jumper and then a layup. She was fouled and had a chance to bring the cats to within 5. She missed them both. But the Cats kept clawing.
Two Teonni Key layups later and it was a 3 point game yet again with just over 3 minutes to go.
Tessa Johnson converted a touch reverse to give the Gamecocks some breathing room. But Clara Strack answered right back.
Another great defensive possession by Kentucky saw South Carolina come up empty. Kenny Brooks took a timeout to draw up a play with 2:09 to go, 58-55 Gamecocks.
Asia Boone had an open but her 3 was just too long, Amelia Hassett got in the paint and drew a foul, giving the Cats another chance but Asia Boone turned it over with 1:35 to go.
Tessa Johnson missed an open 3, and Kenny Brooks called another timeout. Jordan Obi took it to the paint and drew a foul, her shot bounced high off the rim but off. 2 more free throws.
She converted the first, but missed the second. As Clara Strack went for the loose ball, it looked like she was being held but the refs called a foul on her. Could the Cats get one more stop?
They did with an Amelia Hassett steal. But the possession came up empty. Now Kentucky had to play the foul game, the problem they only had 1 team foul. They had to foul 5 times, but couldn't do it as South Carolina wins 60-56.
Another heartbreaking loss at home.