Kentucky Falls to Auburn on Thursday Night
Robyn Benton scored 19 points but the Kentucky women’s basketball team fell to Auburn 71-68 on Thursday night at Memorial Coliseum. Kentucky (9-11, 1-7 SEC) got 16 points, eight rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocked shots from Maddie Scherr. Jada Walker had 14 points for UK. The Cats struggled with turnovers on Thursday, committing 20 miscues that led to 32 Auburn points. Meanwhile, the Tigers turned it over 16 times, leading to 18 UK points.
Cardinals Fall to Wake Forest, 68-57
The University of Louisville women’s basketball team dropped its second game in a row with a 68-57 loss to Wake Forest Thursday night at LJVM Coliseum. The Cardinals fell behind in the third quarter and cut the lead down to two twice in the fourth but were unable to overcome the deficit. Morgan Jones led the Cards with 15 points to go with four rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block. Hailey Van Lith had a team-high five assists to go with eight points and two steals. Olivia Cochran scored in double figures with 11 points and a team-high six rebounds.
Lady Toppers Come From Behind to Win Against FIU
WKU women’s basketball (10-9, 7-3 C-USA) rallied back to defeat FIU (10-9, 5-5 C-USA) on Thursday night in Diddle Arena. The Lady Toppers were down seven with 4:22 left in the game, but ended on a 7-0 run to earn a 67-63 win. Hope Sivori was WKU’s leading scorer for the second straight game with 18 points. The junior was a perfect 7-for-7 from the free throw line, including two free throws with 43 seconds left that put WKU back ahead for the first time since the third quarter. Jaylin Foster hit double digit points for the fourth straight game with 11. Acacia Hayes added 10 points and three steals. Karris Allen led WKU on the boards with four rebounds. Alexis Mead notched five assists, which is the fourth time this season the sophomore has had five-or-more helpers. WKU shot 41.5 percent from the field, marking the fifth time in the last seven games WKU has shot 40 percent or better. The Lady Toppers are 7-0 this season when shooting 40 percent or better this season. The Lady Toppers forced 29 FIU turnovers, matching the total the Panthers committed against WKU in Miami earlier this season. It was the 10th time this season WKU has caused a team to turn the ball over at least 20 times and the Lady Toppers are 7-3 when doing so. WKU notched 16 steals on those turnovers, marking the 16th time this season WKU has recorded double digit steals. The bench continues to be a strength for WKU. The Lady Topper reserves scored 38 points against FIU and are now averaging 29.7 points per game this season.
Second-Half Drought Leads to Loss at FIU
A 22-4 FIU run midway through the second half troubled the Hilltoppers, leading to a 78-69 loss in the Ocean Bank Convocation Center on Thursday night. McKnight led all scorers with 23 points, pairing it with four boards, three steals and an assist. He netted two of his three shots beyond the arc. Jamarion Sharp logged 15 points with six boards on 6 of 7 shooting. Jordan Rawls had a season-high seven assists against just three turnovers. He also had seven points and three steals. Denver Jones, the conference’s second-leading scorer, had 17 points with three assists, three boards and two steals.
Sharp Named to Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Watch List for Second Consecutive Season
WKU Hilltopper Basketball senior center Jamarion Sharp was named to the 2023 Naismith Men’s Defensive Player of the Year Watch List, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced Thursday. As of Wednesday, the 7-5 Hopkinsville, Ky., native lead the nation in blocked shots per game (4.3) and total blocks (81).The center’s average of 4.3 blocks per game is more than what 83% of Division I teams are averaging. His 81 total blocks are more than what 75% of Division I programs have logged as a team. Sharp has started and played in 19 of WKU’s 20 contests this season. He’s shooting 59.8% from the field while averaging 7.1 rebounds and 6.6 points per game. This is the second consecutive season Sharp has been named to the Naismith DPOY Watch List. He is joined, notably, by Oscar Tshiebwe, Kentucky, and Zakai Zeigler, Tennessee.
Racers Host Bears On Ja Morant Poster Day
Looking to get back on the winning track, the Murray State Racers (11-10, 6-5 MVC) come home to the CFSB Center to host the Missouri State Bears (11-10, 7-4 MVC) in a 1 p.m. tip in Murray, Ky. on Ja Morant Poster Day As the second half of the Missouri Valley Conference got going this week, the Bears are the final team that the Racers haven’t met this season. The second game in Springfield, Mo. will be played Feb. 21.
Racers Start Four-Game Road Trip at Evansville
The Murray State women’s basketball team begins a four-game road trip Friday when it travels to Evansville, Indiana to take on the Purple Aces of Evansville. tip-off from the Meeks Family Fieldhouse is scheduled for 6 p.m.
Four reach double-figures as Govs fall late to Flames
Four Governors scored in double figures, but Austin Peay State University women’s basketball team fell to ASUN Conference foe Liberty, 71-66, Thursday in the Winfield Dunn Center. A Shamarre Hale layup gave Austin Peay (11-7, 6-2 ASUN) a 66-65 lead with 1:19 remaining in the fourth quarter, but a pair of late mishaps led to Liberty (12-7, 6-2 ASUN) ending the Govs’ five-game winning streak. The Govs and Flames set the tone offensively early, with both teams making over 50 percent of their shots from the field in the first quarter.
Okworogwo scores 11 in starting debut, Govs fall at KSU
Making his first collegiate start, true freshman Kelechi Okworogwo led the Austin Peay State University men’s basketball team with a career-high 11 points, but it was not enough, and the Governors fell to Kennesaw State, 84-57, in ASUN Conference action, Thursday, at the KSU Convocation Center. Sean Durugordon also scored a team-leading 11 points and led Austin Peay (8-14, 2-7 ASUN) with eight rebounds. Okworogwo was efficient from the floor, going 5-for-8 and knocking down the lone three-pointer he attempted. Chris Youngblood led Kennesaw State (16-6, 8-1 ASUN) with 19 points while Demond Robinson and Brandon Stroud each recorded double-doubles for the Owls.
>>College Basketball Roundup
(Undated) — Memphis crushed SMU 99-84 in college basketball action. The Tigers will head to Tulsa on Sunday. Number-4 Tennessee will host 10th-ranked Texas tomorrow night. Louisville, the Cardinals, have dropped nine straight games and are 2-and-18. They’ll look to break the streak against Notre Dame tomorrow. Kentucky will host ninth-ranked Kansas tomorrow, Pre-Game at 5:30 on 98.7 Lite FM. The Commodores head to Texas A-and-M tomorrow night.