LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — After much anticipation, being ranked in the Preseason AP Top 25 for the first time since 2021, the University of Kentucky Women’s basketball team opened the 2024-25 basketball season with a whopping 98-43 win over USC Upstate in the newly renovated Historic Memorial Coliseum Monday night.
Sophomore center Clara Strack led the way with 22 points, shooting 7/11 from the field. She was followed by Amelia Hassett, Teonni Key, and Clara Silva, who each had 14. Key and Hassett were just one rebound shy of a double-double. Graduate point guard Georgia Amoore finished with a double-double, 11 points, and 10 assists.
Georgia Amoore ➡️ Clara Silva
— BBN Tonight (@BBNTonight) November 4, 2024
Gorgeous pass, gorgeous finish!
15-7 Cats with 4:50 in 1st qtr #BBN pic.twitter.com/ErnnuJYcE2
Strack set the tone with the first four points of the night. Within the first three minutes of play, Amoore went to the free throw line several times - sinking ⅘ early on. Kentucky would soon assert its defensive dominance over the Spartans.
At the half, the Cats were shooting 51.4% from the field and already amassed 13 assists. The Cats went to the foul line early and often, 8-of-11.
HALFTIME: Kentucky 47, USC Upstate 18
— BBN Tonight (@BBNTonight) November 4, 2024
As a team, the @KentuckyWBB Cats are shooting 51%. UK is outrebounding the Spartans 22-18 and has 13 assists.
Georgia Amoore leads all with 11, and Clara Strack follows with 10.
Kentucky's ball movement and push to the rim continued! Closing out the third quarter, a Spartan miss was rebounded by Silva, and passed to Amoore, who assisted Becker’s layup for a 40-point lead.
4th quarter dominance continued, closing the game with a 9-0 run. Kentucky stretched the lead to 55 points. Kentucky had 26 assists, 28 bench points, 40 in the paint, while holding the Spartans to 29.3% shooting on the night. Kentucky finished 20/25 from the free throw line.
Five Wildcats would end the night in double digits:
- Clara Strack with 22
- Amelia Hassett with 14
- Teonni Key with 14
- Clara Silva with 14
- Georgia Amoore with 11
.@KentuckyWBB gets the job DONE!
— BBN Tonight (@BBNTonight) November 4, 2024
A 98 - 43 win to start the Kenny Brooks Era 🏀 pic.twitter.com/xmyTa9L2Mb
Next, the Wildcats will host Northern Kentucky University on Thursday, November 7. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. in Memorial Coliseum and can be streamed on SEC Network+.
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