MSU Women's Hoops Battles at Kentucky in Season Opener

Morehead, Ky.-- Morehead State women's basketball opened the Ashton Feldhaus era with a 75-59 loss to the 20^th-ranked Kentucky Wildcats in Historic Memorial Coliseum in Lexington.

Morehead State (0-1) got a huge effort from senior Marie Sepp who nearly posted a triple-double in her debut as an Eagle. Sepp led all scorers with 21 points, pulled down a team-high eight rebounds and dished out a game-high nine assists. Sepp shot eight of 16 from the floor and two of four three-point attempts. She played all 40 minutes.

Violet McNece tossed in 15 points on five of eight shooting from the floor, including four of seven three-point attempts. Senior Laura Toffali finished with 11 to round out the double-figure scorers for the Eagles. Senior Kate Dike finished with nine points on 3-7 from three-point range.

Kentucky (1-0) placed four players in double figures led by Tonie Morgan with 16 points. Jordan Obi and Clara Strack both finished with double-doubles; 15 points and 15 rebounds each. Amelia Hassett finished with 10 points.

The Eagles got off to hot start, making their first five shots from the floor, including their first three attempts from three-point range. A Kate Dike jumper put the Eagles ahead 13-4. Kentucky responded with a 21-4 run over the last 5:55 of the quarter and led 25-17 after the first 10 minutes. Sepp led the Eagles with nine points in the quarter. The Eagles hit 47% from the floor in the opening frame.

The Eagle offense cooled in the second quarter; hitting three of their 10 field goal attempts and one of their six three-point shots. The Wildcats' superior size played a major role in the first half: UK claimed 15 offensive rebounds in the opening 20 minutes resulting in 17 second-chance points as Kentucky took a 43-27 lead into the intermission.

The Eagles opened the third quarter with an 8-0 run highlighted by Dike hitting two three-pointers in the run, to cut the Kentucky lead to 43-35. Kentucky got a 10-0 run out of the media timeout to extend the lead back out to 57-40.

The Eagles closed out the game outscoring the Wildcats 13-12 in the quarter, led by McNece with seven points on two of three shooting from three-point range.

The Eagles return to action Friday when they travel to Bellarmine.
 
NOTABLE

• Morehead State shot 20-56- 36% from the floor, including 10-27- 37% from three-point range. Kentucky shot 28-75 -37% from the floor and 4-24 – 17% from three-point range.
• Morehead State committed 16 turnovers in the game, 10 in the first half. Kentucky had 11 miscues. The Wildcats had a 13-10 edge in points off turnovers.
• Kentucky out-rebounded the Eagles 54-33. The Wildcats pulled down 21 offensive rebounds and had a 22-3 advantage in second chance points.
• The Wildcats had a 38-20 advantage in points in the paint.