UK Women crush outmanned Miss Valley St

After another scathing halftime talk from coach Mickie DeMoss, the Kentucky women played the way the coach wanted to start the second half.
UK was 7-for-9 from the field -- and scored on offensive rebounds off both misses -- and forced four turnovers during a 17-0 run Tuesday that led to an 84-37 victory over outmanned Mississippi Valley State.

"When you see your team play that well as opposed to how we played the first half, it frustrates a coach," DeMoss said. "I know that is what we should be doing."

DeMoss knows that even though her team could afford a sluggish start in this game, it won't have that same luxury soon when Southeastern Conference play begins.

"I told them at halftime we could not afford that kind of start against a SEC opponent or we would be buried early," DeMoss said. "Maybe we have the wrong people starting. Sometimes starters get complacent."

Junior center Sarah Elliott had 10 of her game-high 21 points during the first six minutes of the second half. She had no explanation for UK's first-half play that produced only a nine-point lead before a closing 11-2 run in the final three minutes expanded the margin.

"I couldn't say (what it is). I don't know if we come out without focus or not understanding what is expected or just underestimating who we are playing," Elliott said. "We've got to put that aside and go out and run over somebody."

Kentucky did that to start the second half. Chante Bowman scored on an offensive rebound. Elliott drove inside to score. Carly Ormerod hit a 3-pointer. Elliott scored off an assist from Jennifer Humphrey and Bowman followed with a goal after a nifty pass from Ormerod. Elliott put back a missed shot and then Bowman hit from the baseline before Elliott scored off a pass from Sam Mahoney.

"That's the way we should play all the time," Elliott said. "We need to do that early and then keep it up for an entire 40 minutes. There's no excuse otherwise."

Freshman Lydia Watkins, who had 10 points, said when the veterans play the way they did early in the second half, it inspires the other players.
"When we see them play that hard and that well, it makes us all more comfortable and we do not want to let down when we get out there," Watkins said.

DeMoss continues to be lenient with Watkins as she learns how to adapt her speed at the power forward position to the college game.
"She is so athletic and rebounds so well," DeMoss said. "She's very quick defensively. If we can just keep her healthy and learning the game, she's going to be fine.

"She sometimes gets out on the fast break and plays faster than what she should play. She will make decisions too quick. She's got to learn to handle the speed because she can cause problems for other teams. I have given her the green light to bring the ball up the floor, but I did tell her to slow down and make better decisions."


Game Notes
1. Kentucky has given up 50 points or less in three straight games.
2. Kentucky had a season-high eight blocked shots, including three each by Elliott and Jenn'e Jackson. Elliott now has 100 blocks and trails Leslie Nichols by two for second on the career block list.
3. Elliott had her third 20-point game of the season.
4. Carly Ormerod was 2-for-2 at the foul line and has now made 16 in a row going back to last season.
5. Jennifer Humphrey has 702 career rebounds and needs two more to move into seventh place on UK's career list.