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Radford Athletics Communications
36
Radford RAD 7-2
59
Winner #19/23 KENTUCKY UK 8-3
Radford RAD
7-2
36
Final
59
#19/23 KENTUCKY UK
8-3
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Radford RAD 8 6 9 13 36
#19/23 KENTUCKY UK 15 15 11 18 59

Game Recap: Women's Basketball |

RADFORD'S WINNING STREAK SNAPPED IN 59-36 LOSS AT KENTUCKY



GAME INFORMATION
  • Score: No. 19/23 Kentucky 59, Radford 36
  • Records: Wildcats (8-3) | Highlanders (7-2)
  • Location: Memorial Coliseum | Lexington, Ky.   
 
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Radford saw its seven-game winning streak snapped as No. 19/23 Kentucky forced 19 turnovers while holding the Highlanders under 30-percent shooting for the first time this season as the Wildcats grabbed a 59-36 decision, Sunday afternoon in historic Memorial Coliseum.  
 
Maci Morris scored the first five points of the game as Kentucky opened with a 9-4 advantage. Sydney Nunley cut the lead to three after Destinee Walker picked off a Morris pass, leading to a transition jumper from Nunley off a Claudia Quevedo pass.
 
The Wildcats separated themselves once again before White corralled her second offensive rebound of the quarter, leading to an easy putback to cut the Kentucky lead to 11-8 with 3:35 remaining in the quarter.
 
Defense shined in the final 3:35 as both teams held one another scoreless until Jaida Roper knocked down a jumper with 19 seconds remaining to give the Wildcats a 15-8 first quarter lead.
 
The second quarter opened with a Khiana Johnson block that led to a Jayda Worthy layup, cutting the Wildcat lead to five points. After the Worthy basket, Kentucky went a 14-2 run, forcing five Radford turnovers.
 
Makayla Epps scored seven of her nine first half points during the run as the Wildcats built an 18-point lead. Johnson snapped Radford's 7:42 scoreless streak with a jumper to beat the buzzer as the Highlanders went into the locker room trailing 30-14.
 
In 18 minutes of first half action, White paced the Highlanders with four points, five rebounds and three steals. Kentucky's defensive presence forced 13 turnovers in the half, turning the Highlander miscues into 14 points.
 
In the third quarter, Radford and Kentucky struggled offensively. Radford received back-to-back layups from Walker and White, cutting the deficit to 14 (32-18) with seven minutes remaining in the quarter.
 
Radford was unable to cut more into the Kentucky lead until Brittany Allen checked into the contest early in the fourth quarter. Allen's made an immediate impact in the game, hitting two consecutive 3-pointers off of Johnson assists, cutting the Wildcat lead to 43-29.
 
Kentucky followed with a 10-0 run to push the lead to 25 points (56-31) with just under four minutes remaining in the contest.
 
Rachael Ross tallied five straight points to end the Kentucky run. The Ross five-point swing came off a layup and 3 for 3 effort from the free throw line. Radford was held scoreless for the final three minutes as Kentucky's fifth 3-pointer of the game handed the Wildcats a 59-36 win.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
  • The meeting between the two foes was the first since 1988.
  • Radford's last game against a Top 25 foe came on Dec. 5, 2012 in a 66-44 loss to No. 21 North Carolina.
  • Janayla White, Destinee Walker and Brittany Allen paced the Highlanders with six points each.
  • The last time the Highlanders placed no players in double-figures came on March 18, 2015 in a WNIT first round matchup at East Carolina.
  • Walker finished with a team-high three made field goals as the sophomore collected four points in the second half.
  • Allen's two 3-pointers were Radford's only made 3-pointers of the contest. The redshirt sophomore has two games of multiple 3-pointers on the season.
  • Sydney Nunley and Rachael Ross contributed five points each off the bench.
  • Kentucky finished with a slight edge in the rebound category with a 43-35 effort.
  • White finished with a game-high 11 rebounds, her 23rd career game with 10-plus rebounds.
  • Nunley followed with seven boards and a game-high three blocks.
  • Despite committing 19 turnovers, Radford forced 10 as White finished with a season-high three steals.
  • Khiana Johnson finished with a season-high two blocks. She collected her first career block at Davidson on Nov. 19.
  • The Highlanders finished with seven blocks, matching a season-high.
  • Radford finished 14 for 53 from the field for a 26.4 shooting percentage, their lowest mark since the 2016 Big South Tournament semifinals against Liberty (29.6) on March 12, 2016.
  • The Highlanders were held to single-digits in the first three quarters, their first of the season.
  • Kentucky placed three in double-digits: Makayla Epps (13), Evelyn Akhator (13) and Makenzie Cann (11).
  • The Wildcats finished with a 36.9 field-goal percentage, their lowest mark on the season.
  • Kentucky scored 19 points off of Radford miscues and controlled the paint 26-16.

QUOTABLE
  • "I think, for us, we were never in sync offensively. We didn't have very many shots go in and I think that impacted our defense. Defense is who we are and that is what we hang our hats on, but today that wasn't the case. I think Kentucky had a lot to do with today and congrats to them." ~ Radford head coach Mike McGuire
 
  • "In the first half we were limited because of their 2-3 zone. I thought we had some good looks. We definitely looked apprehensive today – more unsure today than we have in the last month of the season. I think some of that was Kentucky's activity and I think some of that was our lack of confidence as well. We had some good looks, they just weren't falling for us in the first half." ~ Radford head coach Mike McGuire
 
  • "I think that if you have 13 turnovers in the first half and you have four offensive fouls in the first half, I think that was a reason as well. I do think some of it was the speed of the game that really got us rattled. You can't have 13 empty possessions in the first half and think you're going to win." ~ Radford head coach Mike McGuire
 
UP NEXT
  • Radford wraps up play against Power 5 opponents on Wednesday against New River Valley foe No. 24 Virginia Tech. The contest is scheduled for a 1 p.m. start inside Cassell Coliseum.
  • Virginia Tech owns a 25-9 record in the all-time series, including a six-game winning streak in the series.
  • The 2015 matchup saw the Hokies outscore the Highlanders 29-17 in the second half to escape with a 47-40 victory.
  • Radford's last win in the series came on Nov. 10, 2006 with a 67-60 decision.

 
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