Miami University
Kentucky
No. 9 Kentucky Outlasts Miami in Season Opener
11/14/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
| AP Photo Gallery OXFORD, Ohio -- Miami gave Kentucky everything it could handle Sunday afternoon, but a second-half run by the ninth-ranked Wildcats led to a 83-71 UK win at Millett Hall.
Maggie Boyer led the RedHawks (0-1) with 19 points, while Courtney Osborn chipped in 18 and grabbed six rebounds. A'dia Mathies and Victoria Dunlap led five Wildcats in double figures with 16 points each.
The Wildcats (2-0) reversed a 34-33 deficit early in the second half with a 12-4 run that pushed the lead to seven, 45-38 with 16:31 left. After Miami closed to two with five straight points, Kentucky rattled off an 11-3 spurt that sent the margin into double figures for the first time, 56-46 at the 11:19 mark.
Miami would answer though on five straight free throws -- two by Kirsten Olowinski, two by Osborn and a single by Hannah Robertson -- but UK scored six in a row to answer. After Rachael Hencke hit a three to pull the RedHawks back to eight with 5:35 left, Bernisha Pinkett got a layup and free throw to keep Miami at bay. The lead stayed in double figures for the final 4:03 of the game. Over the final 11:19, 34 of the 55 points between the teams came from the free throw line.
Miami outshot Kentucky in the first half, but still trailed 33-31 on the heels of 18 turnovers. The RedHawks hit 11-of-23 from the field (47.8 percent), including four of 10 three-pointers.
Osborn hit two three-pointers in the opening period, putting Miami up 5-3 and 10-7. A jumper by Boyer extended the margin to its biggest point, 14-9 with 11:31 left, before UK rattled off seven straight for a 16-14 lead just two minutes later.
Kentucky was up five, 29-24, with 2:10 left, but Boyer tallied five straight points to event the game at 29. The teams then traded baskets before the Wildcats secured a slim two-point halftime lead on two Samantha Drake free throws 13 seconds before intermission.
Dunlap led all scorers at the break with 10 points, while Boyer and Osborn had nine points apiece.
Miami hits the road for the first time this season on Wednesday night when it faces Eastern Kentucky in Richmond, Ky.
