Kenny Brooks earns first win at Kentucky in season-opening rout of USC Upstate

Kenny Brooks and the No. 22 Kentucky Wildcats are 1-0.

The Wildcats dominated South Carolina Upstate 98-43 on Monday evening in front of an enthusiastic Memorial Coliseum crowd that included UK legends Valerie Still and Patty Jo Hedges. The night marked not only Brooks’ debut as head coach, but the introduction of 11 new Wildcats to Big Blue Nation; every single healthy player on UK’s roster received playing time.

Both of UK’s Claras, Strack and Silva, had strong showings in their Kentucky premiers. Strack led all scorers with 22 points, and finished with six rebounds, two assists, a block and two steals. Silva added 14 points on a perfect 6-for-6 from the field and 2-for-2 from the free-throw line, and contributed seven rebounds, two assists and six of Kentucky’s 12 blocks.

All-America point guard Georgia Amoore contributed 11 points, six rebounds, 10 assists and one steal in 30 minutes on the floor. Forward Teonni Key finished with 14 points, nine rebounds, five assists, three blocks and one steal. Amelia Hassett added 14 points, nine rebounds, two assists, one block and two steals.

The Wildcats host Northern Kentucky on Thursday at 6 p.m., a game that will be streamed on SEC Network+.

Box score from Kentucky’s 98-43 season-opening women’s basketball win over USC Upstate

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