The final score on Thursday, Nov. 6 was 104-46 in what was an overwhelming display of defense and offense from Kentucky.

From the very start, the Wildcats were not giving up anything easy to their opponents, tallying three blocks and three steals in the first quarter alone.

The communication issues that Kenny Brooks mentioned after last the game seemed to have been addressed, translating to a newfound communication on the court.

“Tonight I thought we were much better,” Brooks said “ We were able to take them out of some of the things they wanted to do, contest some shots, block some shots, rebound and get it out and get some opportunities.”

The now fixed issues led to the Hawks committing 15 turnovers. Kentucky also forced Monmouth to take tough shots and did not allow them room in the post either.

Monmouth made just five shots in the first half and only made one field goal in the first quarter. For the game, Monmouth shot 27% from the field, going 17-61 in the loss.

In total, the Wildcats recorded eight blocks and seven steals, mostly due in part to Clara Strack’s contribution.

You Need Buckets Too

Alongside their defense, the Wildcats scoring was consistent and often. They started the scoring early, going on a 19-point run in the first quarter.

It was in the second and third quarters where Kentucky started to create real space from Monmouth. Sophomore Lexi Blue went 6-7 from the three and did not miss in that two-quarter frame, resulting in a career-high 18 points.

The crowd was well aware of the historic game and by the fourth quarter, all were holding up three fingers and yelling “THREE!!!” every time Kentucky shot from deep.

“When my numbers called, just to be ready, that’s what I focus on each and every day,” Blue said. “There’s been times where it’s been hard but it’s nice to have a night like tonight.”

With the help of Blue’s 18 points and Amelia Hassett’s 17 points, the Wildcats scored 104 points; the first 100-point game of the Kenny Brooks era and the first time Kentucky has broke that margin since 2017.

Between the communication on defense, the outburst of scoring on offense and the improved shooting percentages from last game, Kentucky improved on nearly every category it was lacking versus Morehead on Monday.

Now, the Cats are 2-0, with a game up next for them going on the road. They’ll travel to Buffalo, New York, where they will face Buffalo in the UB Alumni Arena on Sunday, Nov. 9. The tip is set for 2:00 p.m. ET and will be streamed live on ESPN+.

Thursday, Nov. 6 will mark the first ever meeting between the Kentucky Wildcats and the Monmouth Hawks. The Cats will have a clear vertical advantage as Monmouth doesn’t feature a single player listed above 6-foot-1 on its roster, while Kentucky’s starting lineup against Morehead had 4 players alone listed at six foot or above.

Both teams have one win to their name and are looking to add one more, but the Wildcats are in pursuit of more than just their second win.

Much Needed Improvements

Although Kentucky won their last matchup versus Morehead State, head coach Kenny Brooks was not shy after the game about how his team needs to be better despite the 16-point win.

“We need to get better at understanding how to make adjustments in game in order for us to be successful,” said Brooks.

The Cats did grab 21 more rebounds than their opponents, however, that was one of their few bright spots. They only shot 16.7% from three-point territory and turned the ball over 13 times, exceeding the average from last season.

Defensively, the Wildcats recorded 12 blocks, but that did not stop Morehead from penetrating the paint and using back-door cuts to get by Kentucky multiple times.

“I thought it was a lack of communication,” Brooks said. “I think we relied too much on contesting shots as they went to the hole, we did have 12 blocks but we can’t rely on that. We got to be able to move our feet and I thought our defense could have been a lot better.”

It seems that the biggest positive from the Cats’ first game is that the coaching staff now knows what areas need improvement. After two days of practicing and watching film, it’s time to implement those improvements in the second game of the season.

On, Thursday Nov. 6, inside Historic Memorial Coliseum, Kentucky women’s basketball will look to take down Monmouth. The tip is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET and will be streamed live on SEC Network+.

The No. 24 Wildcats got their first win of the season out of the way, beating Morehead State 75-59 on Tuesday, Nov. 4. Dating back to 2009, this win now gives Kentucky a 12-0 record against the Eagles in their short history.

Early Struggles

Although the Wildcats won, the final box score was not looking as dominating as coach Kenny Brooks hoped for his team, despite two double-doubles from Clara Strack and Jordan Obi.

“We got a lot of work to do,” Brooks said in his opening statement. “I was not pleased with the way we came out.”

His frustration was not unprompted by any means. The Wildcats first four possessions of the game ended in either a missed jumper or a turnover. In the first, the Cats shot two from eight from three while Morehead shot 50% from three and were getting right by the bigs in the paint. 

By halftime, Kentucky was leading, up 43-27. It still seemed closer than most would have anticipated, especially for a top 25 ranked team hosting an unranked opponent.

“You Can’t Teach Height”

Kentucky had six players touch the floor that were listed at 6-foot-1 or higher, three of those players being between the heights of 6-foot-3 and 6-foot-5. This was a clear advantage on the court, especially since Morehead’s average height ranges to about 5-foot-9.

With that advantage, Strack finished the night with 15 points,15 rebounds, 3 blocks and 3 steals, starting her season off after an impressive sophomore campaign.

“You can’t teach height,” said Morehead head coach Ashton Feldhaus.

As a team, Kentucky grabbed 54 boards, out-rebounding the Eagles by 21. Even Kentucky’s forward Jordan Obi tallied 15 rebounds; an unexpected stat for the graduate student.

Despite the bright spots, Brooks was sure that the team still has improvements to make.

“Right now, I can’t really tell the positives other than we won the game,” Brooks said.

The team will have a chance to create some more positives on Thursday Nov. 6 inside Memorial Coliseum, where the Cats take on Monmouth at 6:30 p.m. ET. The game will be streamed live on SEC Network+.