Dec. 21, 2011

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Box Score

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Samford senior guard Paige Anderson scored a career-high 24 points, but it was not enough as the Bulldog women's basketball team fell at No. 8 Kentucky, 90-61, Wednesday evening at Memorial Coliseum.

The Bulldogs trailed, 55-28 at halftime, but held the Wildcats to just 35 points in the second half.

"Kentucky is ranked eighth in the nation for a reason," Samford head coach Mike Morris said. "They are athletic, they press and they are a very good team. But I was very pleased with our team, especially in the second half. I thought our kids got better as a team tonight."

For the game, Anderson made 5-of-6 shots from the floor and 12-of-14 from the free-throw line. Senior Ruth Ketcham scored 14 points and fellow senior Jazmine Powers added 12 points for the Bulldogs.

Kentucky is the highest ranked team Samford has played since taking on fifth-ranked LSU on Nov. 9, 2007.

Kentucky was led by Samantha Drake with 18 points. Azia Bishop scored 13 points, while Keyla Snowden scored 12 points. Bria Goss and Kastine Evans added 11 points each, while Samarie Walker scored 10 points for the Wildcats.

In the first half Samford stayed close early, but with the Bulldogs trailing, 11-10, the Wildcats went on a 9-0 run to push their lead out to 10 at 20-10 with 14:32 left in the opening period. After Samford cut the lead to six at 20-14, Kentucky went on a 16-2 run to take a 20-point lead at 36-16 with 9:05 left in the half.

Samford cut the Kentucky lead to 16 at 36-20 with 8:07 left in the half after a pair of free throws by Taylor Reece. With Kentucky leading, 43-26, the Wildcats closed the half with a 12-2 run to take a 55-28 lead into the intermission.

In the second half, Kentucky pushed its lead out to 36 at 66-30 with 17:17 to go in the game. With Kentucky leading, 72-40, Samford went on an 8-0 run to cut the lead to 72-48 with 8:01 left in the game after a free throw by Ketcham.

Kentucky scored the next six point to push its lead back out to 30 at 78-48 with 6:41 left in the contest. Samford then scored the next seven points to cut the lead to 23 points at 78-55 with 4:38 left after a three-pointer by Ketcham. Samford, however, could get no closer as Kentucky came away with the 90-61 win.

As a team, Samford made 42.9 percent of its shots from the floor and 35.3 percent of its three-pointers. Kentucky shot 54.7 percent overall and 25.0 percent from beyond the arc. The Wildcats outrebounded the Bulldogs, 34-20.

Samford will return to action on Wednesday, Dec. 28, when the Bulldogs take on their second-straight SEC foe, playing at the University of Florida. The game is scheduled for a 6 p.m. (CT) start from the Stephen C. O'Connell Center.