Yahoo Sports No. 14 Kentucky stays perfect with Music City Classic win over Arizona State
The No. 14 Kentucky Wildcats opened their Feast Week slate with a 77-61 victory over Arizona State on Tuesday afternoon in the Music City Classic at Trevecca Nazarene in Nashville.
After a 15-14 first quarter, Kentucky (6-0) jetted out to a commanding lead in the second period — scoring 12 points before a single free throw put the Sun Devils on the board — and did not allow Arizona State (3-3) much of an opportunity to claw back, though a sluggish UK third quarter did set the Sun Devils up to cut the lead to as few as eight in the fourth period. However, a 6-0 scoring run mid-fourth quarter (capped off by a Georgia Amoore-Cassidy Rowe-Clara Strack connection reminiscent of something the Harlem Globetrotters might employ) put Arizona State away for good.
The Kentucky starters again shared the majority of the responsibility in the victory; the Wildcat bench scored only four points.
Strack clocked 27 minutes against Arizona State — the fewest of any member of the starting five — but still recorded a team-high 24 points, 10 rebounds, two assists and three blocks. Junior forward Teonni Key delivered another impressive performance for the Wildcats this season. Key finished with 16 points, 13 rebounds, four assists, six blocks and three steals. Amoore added 20 points, nine assists and three steals. Junior forward Amelia Hassett finished with eight points, nine rebounds and two assists.
Junior guard Jalyn Brown led Arizona State with 16 points. Brown was joined in double figures by center Nevaeh Parkinson, who added 12 points.
The Wildcats were to face No. 19 Illinois (6-0) on Wednesday at 8 p.m. EST in the final game of the Music City Classic. The Illini defeated Maryland-Eastern Shore (4-3) 75-55 on Tuesday afternoon thanks to a dominant first quarter and a 27-point performance from fifth-year guard Genesis Bryant. Bryant was joined in double-figure scoring by fifth-year guard Makira Cook, who put up 15 points. Illinois leading scorer and rebounder Kendall Bostic, a fifth-year forward, added 12 points and 11 rebounds in the victory.
Wednesday
No. 14 Kentucky vs. No. 19 Illinois
What: Music City Classic
When: 8 p.m. EST
Where: Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville, Tennessee
TV: BALLERtv (subscription required)
Radio: WLAP-AM 630
Records: Kentucky 6-0, Illinois 6-0
Series: Illinois leads 4-2
Last meeting: Illinois won 77-71 on Nov. 27, 2014, at the Paradise Jam tournament in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands
‘A football game breaks out’ in Nashville, but No. 14 Kentucky women thrive on the chaos
