LEXINGTON, Ky. — Already a key player down, the University of Mississippi women’s basketball team could only watch the problems mount as the University of Kentucky put on its most ferocious defensive display yet.
Courtney Marbra scored seven points to lead Ole Miss, but the Rebels committed the most turnovers in a Southeastern Conference game this year Thursday in an 82-41 loss to No. 6 Kentucky.
The Rebels (12-11, 2-8) were without inside presence Nikki Byrd, who was averaging 13.1 points and 9.5 rebounds but was hurt late in the Rebels’ loss to Auburn on Sunday and is day to day. Leading scorer Valencia McFarland was held to six points, well-short of her average of 13.6 per game.
“It’s crazy. They pressure for 40 minutes and they sub in and out,” said McFarland, who committed a team-high seven of Ole Miss’ 36 turnovers. “It’s constant pressure. It’s very difficult.”
The Wildcats (21-2, 10-0) equaled the 1982-83 team for the best start in school history and are looking to do something that team couldn’t — win an SEC championship to join the school’s only other title team from the 1981-82 season.
“Their team is on a mission. Their style of play affects everyone in this league, and tonight we got bit by the same bug — turnovers, pressure,” Ole Miss coach Renee Ladner said. “They’re definitely the hardest team to play against because of their relentless pressure and their ability to sub.”
A’dia Mathies, Kentucky’s leading scorer, went 2 of 14 from the field and had 11 points. Kastine Evans scored 12 points and had a career-high seven steals, while Samarie Walker added 11 points to help the Wildcats win for the 18th straight time at home.
Ole Miss never got within single digits in the second half. Up 40-29, the Wildcats used a 15-3 run to put the game out of the reach that included five different scorers.
n Arkansas 70, Alabama 52: At Fayetteville, Ark., The University of Alabama women’s basketball team (10-13, 0-9 SEC) dropped a 70-52 decision at Arkansas (17-5, 6-4) on Thursday night in Bud Walton Arena.
“This game was lost in the first 10 minutes,” Alabama coach Wendell Hudson said. “We came out with no energy. There is no excuse for the lack of effort. You could tell by looking at us and the way we were playing that, at times, we didn’t know where anything was going to come from.”
Junior Kyra Crosby led Alabama with 14 points. Jasmine Robinson added 10, and junior Jessica Merritt had a team-best eight rebounds.
Alabama will play host to No. 21 Georgia at 2 p.m. Sunday at Foster Auditorium.
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