Kentucky, No. 1 South Carolina Rematch in Columbia on Thursday
The University of Kentucky women’s basketball program will rematch No. 1 South Carolina on Thursday, Feb. 2 at 7 p.m. ET inside Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina. Kentucky has a 10-11 overall record and a 2-7 Southeastern Conference record this season.
Lady Toppers Start Texas Road Trip at UTSA Thursday
WKU women’s basketball will start a three-game road swing at UTSA on Thursday night in San Antonio. The game is set for a 7 p.m. tipoff.
Racers Meet Belmont In Nashville Thursday
The Murray State women’s basketball team travels to Nashville Thursday to begin the final leg of its four-game road swing. The Racers will square off against rival Belmont Thursday at the Curb Event Center at 6:30 p.m.
Govs tip off second half of ASUN slate with Bluegrass State road trip
Austin Peay State University women’s basketball team tips off the second half of its ASUN Conference season against Bellarmine at 4 p.m. (CT), Thursday, at Freedom Hall in Louisville, Kentucky. The Governors (12-7, 7-2 ASUN) sit in a three-way tie for second in the ASUN standings entering the fifth week of Conference action after earning a 70-56 win against Queens last Saturday. Graduate student Shamarre Hale has earned ASUN Newcomer of the Week honors in two of the last three weeks and leads the Govs in scoring (11.4 points per game) and rebounding (7.1 per game). Hale also is on pace to break the Govs’ single-season field-goal percentage. She currently holds a 68.9 mark which is 3.4 percent higher than the current record held by APSU alumna, D’Shara Booker. Bellarmine (7-15, 3-6) currently sits in a five-way tie for eighth in the ASUN standings and dropped road games to Stetson and Florida Gulf Coast last week. A six-time ASUN Freshman of the Week and three-time ASUN Player of the Week winner, Gracie Merkle leads the Knights with 15.4 points and 11.0 rebounds per game, while also leading the ASUN with a 71.4 field-goal percentage.
Kentucky Women’s Basketball A’dia Mathies Named to 2023 SEC Class of Women’s Legends
University of Kentucky women’s basketball standout A’dia Mathies (2009-13) has been named to the 2023 Southeastern Conference Class of Women’s Legends, it was announced by the league Wednesday. Mathies, who played in a school-record 140 games and started in a school-record 139 games from 2009 to 2013, was named to the Associated Press All-America second team (2013) and third team (2012). She was a two-time finalist for the John R. Wooden Award and the Naismith Trophy, while she was also the SEC Player of the Year as a junior (2012) and a senior (2013). The Wildcat remains the all-time leader in steals (320), games played (140) and games started (139) in program history, while she also ranks third in scoring (2,014), only behind Valerie Still and Rhyne Howard, fourth in field goals made (712) and free throws made (413) and fifth in three-point field goals made (177). Mathies was the first player in UK history (men or women) to accumulate over 2,000 points, 600 rebounds, 300 assists and 300 steals in a career. Part of UK’s all-time winningest class with an overall 111-30 (.787) record, Mathies helped UK claim the 2012 SEC regular-season title for the first time in 30 years and advanced to four NCAA Tournament Sweet 16s and three Elite Eights. Mathies was inducted into the University of Kentucky Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2019.
>>College Basketball Roundup
(Undated) — Number-2 Tennessee was upset by Florida 67-54 in college basketball action. The Vols are now 18-and-4 and will host 23rd-ranked Auburn Saturday afternoon.
Tops Open Three-Game Homestand with Roadrunners
WKU Hilltopper Basketball is looking to start fresh in the month of February with a three-game homestand beginning on Thursday night with UTSA. The game will be streamed on ESPN+ and will tip at 7 p.m. CT. WKU hopes to stop a five-game skid, most recently falling at #21 Florida Atlantic on Saturday, 70-63. UTSA has lost eight straight, starting with a loss to WKU on Jan. 7 and ending with a 66-55 loss to Louisiana Tech on Saturday. WKU is 8-3 all-time against the Roadrunners including a 3-1 mark in Bowling Green.
Cards Defeat Georgia Tech 68-58 for First ACC Win
Louisville men’s basketball broke through for its first ACC win of the season and the first of head coach Kenny Payne’s career Wednesday, taking down Georgia Tech 68-58 at the KFC Yum! Center. The Cardinals (3-19, 1-10 ACC) snapped a 10-game slide with the victory, which was powered by a balanced scoring effort and a strong defensive showing. Four UofL players reached double digits in points, while Georgia Tech (8-14, 1-11) labored to just 29.5% shooting overall. Redshirt junior forward Jae’Lyn Withers had a career night with 19 points and 13 rebounds, including 4 of 6 from 3-point range and 7 of 9 from the free-throw line. Senior guard El Ellis had 11 points, a career-high six rebounds and four assists, and freshman forward Kamari Lands chipped in 11 points, five boards, two assists and two steals. Junior forward JJ Traynor also had 10 points. Withers had 14 points and seven rebounds in the first half, making his first three 3-pointers.
Racers Outlast Bruins – Moore Scores 25
The Murray State Racers came away with an 83-82 victory over the Belmont Bruins at the CFSB Center in Murray, Ky. The Racers (13-10) pushed their mark in the Missouri Valley Conference to 8-5. After Wednesday’s play, the MVC has eight teams within one game as a very competitive 2022-23 season continues. MSU hits the road this weekend for a Saturday 3 p.m. game in Terre Haute against Indiana State. Brian Moore, Jr., scored a career-high 25 points on 10-of-14 from the field, while MSU got 14 points from Kenny White, Jr. and 13 and 12 points from Rob Perry and DJ Burns.
Govs host Liberty for Military Appreciation Day, Thursday, in the Dunn
On Military Appreciation Day, the Austin Peay State University men’s basketball team is set to host league-leading Liberty for a 7 p.m., ASUN Conference contest, Thursday, in the Winfield Dunn Center. Austin Peay (8-15, 2-8 ASUN) enters the week tied for 13th place in the conference with Central Arkansas and looking to pick up its first win in its last seven games. On the other side, Liberty (18-5, 9-1 ASUN) is tied for first in the conference with Kennesaw State and is looking to when its seventh-straight contest when it squares off with the Governors for the first time in ASUN Conference action.