. (WKYT) – For the first time in a decade, the Kentucky Wildcats are headed to the Sweet 16.
(5) Kentucky defeats the hosting (4) West Virginia 74-73 to advance to the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament.
While WVU was mainly concerned about Clara Strack going off, it was Teonni Key who shined the brightest, leading Kentucky with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Strack followed with 18 points and 15 rebounds. Tonie Morgan finished with 15 points and three assists.
WVU misses potential game winner, leading to the Cats win.
West Virginia started the game with its full court press from the opening tip. It led to a couple of Kentucky turnovers but once the Cats settled in, Kentucky went on an 11-0 run in a three minute span to take a 14-7 lead at the first tv timeout.
The Cats early gameplan was to get the ball down low to Teonni Key and Clara Strack. The two combined for 12 first quarter points including Strack hitting the buzzer beater for UK to take a 20-15 lead after one.
Kentucky’s main scoring outlet came from the free throw line in the second quarter but was also struggling to hit shots. WVU’s started to get to the Wildcats, causing multiple turnovers that led to the Mountaineers on a 7-0 run to even up the game at 30. At one point, WVU hit seven straight field goals.
The game remained even up at 36 at the half. UK turned it out seven times that lead to eight WVU points, all in the second quarter.
Whatever was talked about during the break seemed to have worked because the third quarter was the difference maker.
Kentucky started the second half on a 7-0 run to force a WVU timeout. Kentucky would keep applying the offensive pressure, Strack made her presence known inside, getting boards and setting up the offense for multiple opportunities at a field goal, leading to UK taking an 11 point lead.
It also helped that Asia Boone was back on the court after picking up two fouls in the first half. Boone lit it up in the third quarter, scoring nine points, helping the Cats gain a 62-50 lead.
WVU, fighting for its life in the final frame, came out on an 10-2 run and putting the pressure on the Wildcats. Kentucky responded with great defense and buckets from Morgan and Strack to calm the record crowd down.
But WVU senior guard Sydney Shaw would not let the Mountaineers go down without swinging, she led the 4th quarter charge scoring at will, 11 4th quarter points, and bringing it down to a one possession game with two minutes left.
Up one with 55 seconds left on the clock, Tonie Morgan hit a free throw line jumper to put the Cats back up by three. WVU would hit two free throws to bring it back down to one with 33 seconds left.
WVU would get the ball back with seven seconds left on the clock and missed the game winning shot, going in and out of the basket, and the cats would escape.
Kentucky advances and will play SEC foe (1) Texas in Fort Worth, Texas next weekend.