Only 54 seconds were left in the game. Suddenly, Jordan Obi pokes the ball out, getting the ball to Asia Boone, who hit a pull-up jumper to put the Wildcats up three points!

The very next play, Florida inbounds the ball to the corner, with a chance to tie the game, but a block by Clara Strack basically sealed the game for the blue and white.

That is how the most important sequence of the game went for the Wildcats as No. 7 Kentucky women’s basketball (17-2, 4-1 SEC) held up against the Florida Gators (12-8, 0-5 SEC) by a score of 94-89, in what was supposed to be an easy win at home on Thursday, Jan. 15.

The Wildcats came into the game off a top-five win versus No, 13 Oklahoma while the Gators hadn’t won a conference game yet.

So who would have thought it would come down to Asia Boone hitting a mid-range pull up dagger to give the Cats a three-point lead? And how did UK find themselves in that spot in the first place?

Three-point shooting and foul trouble is what would gave the Cats the most headache, along with some miscommunication on the offensive end. Fouling caught up to Kenny Brooks’ squad when star center Clara Strack fouled out late in the fourth after her clutch block, when her defensive presence was still needed in crunch time.

Key players like Boone, Jordan Obi and Amelia Hassett also came close to coming out the game themselves, each totaling three or more fouls.

Though Kentucky started shooting the lights out from three, the team would get stagnant as the game went on, only shooting 7-23 from deep in the final three quarters.

Kentucky started the fourth quarter down seven, but they gave BBN many reason to get loud quickly, tying the game three times and changing the lead on seven different occasions.

Brooks was unenthusiastic about the win, but this game was one fans in attendance will not soon forget.

Up next, the Wildcats will take on Mississippi State (14-5, 1-4 SEC) on Sunday, Jan. 18 inside of Humphrey Coliseum, streaming live on SEC Network+ at 3:00 p.m. ET.

From down 13 points early to going on unanswered scoring runs, No. 6 Kentucky women’s basketball (16-2, 3-1 SEC) got the best of the No. 5 Oklahoma Sooners (14-3, 2-2 SEC) inside of Historic Memorial Coliseum on Sunday, Jan. 11.

The Wildcats made a statement with the 63-57 win, showing that their defense can hold a team that put up as much as 126 points in a single game earlier this year to under half of that total.

This win served as a great reminder of who the Cats are after a loss to unranked Alabama earlier in the week on Thursday, Jan. 8. So far in conference play, and the season as a whole, Kentucky has made three things very clear – Kentucky has one of the best defenses in the nation, Tonie Morgan is going to lead the Wildcats to points on the board, whether via the pass or her own shot and finally, if Clara Strack has even a sliver of daylight in the post, she is going to hit her signature jumper.

Morgan and Strack combined for forty of the Cats’ points in the win over the Sooners, with Morgan dishing out assists and buckets, some leading to a Strack fadeaway, but holding the new SEC foes to 2-19 from beyond the arc was the more telling statement.

Forcing a team that shoot an average of 31.2% from range to just 10% sends a message to the rest of the conference. Not only is Kentucky one of the best shot blocking teams, making the interior a no-go zone, but now the perimeter is just as well guarded.

The Cats tallied eight blocks and four steals as a team while having three fewer turnovers than the visitors.

Kentucky will host the Florida Gators (12-7, 0-4 SEC) on Thursday, Jan. 15 at 7:00 p.m. ET. The Cats’ fifth conference game will be streamed live on SEC Network+.

The No. 11 Kentucky Wildcats (14-1, 1-0 SEC) just squeezed by No. 5 LSU (14-1, 0-1 SEC) in their first in-conference game of the season and first game of the new year, winning 80-78 on Thursday, Jan. 1.

The Wildcat that Mauled a Tiger

After 39 minutes and 42 seconds of a dramatic game where both sides took turns going on scoring runs, it was the Cats that found themselves down two points with 18.5 seconds left and a chance to beat LSU in the jungle for the first time in nearly seven years.

For 16 seconds, point guard Tonie Morgan handled the rock, and with 2.1 seconds left in the game, she heaved a step-back three into the air.

“Coach (Brooks) called a play, came off the screen…and didn’t like what I saw,” said Morgan. “I saw the time running down…I was like ‘Got to make a play’.”

It was one of those shots that felt like it was in the air for an eternity, but once everyone saw the swish and heard the final buzzer, the celebrations for those in blue started instantly.

“As soon as she let it go… I was like that’s going in,” said Kenny Brooks.

Morgan finished the night with 24 points and 12 assists on a UK best 7 for 10 shooting from the field. Leading up to the final score, this match-up was a battle of an unrelenting offense against a stubborn defense.

Entering the game Kentucky, led Division-1 in opponent shooting percentages, with foes averaging 50.2 points on 32% shooting. On LSU’s side, the Tigers were averaging 108 points per game on 55% shooting, which was also led all Division-1 teams.

The Wildcats out-rebounded LSU 45 to 29, grabbing 17 offensive rebounds and fighting for 18 second chance points.

With the defense and the clutch win, Kentucky is off to a hot start against conference foes, but as always with the SEC, there is more to come.

Up next, the Cats take on Missouri (12-4, 0-1 SEC) on Sunday, Jan. 4th at 8:00 p.m. ET inside of Historic Memorial Coliseum. The game will be streamed on SEC Network.