SUNDAY'S SCORES
@Kentucky 73,
Tennessee Tech 67
@Akron 55,
Tennessee State 49
ETSU 56,
@Morehead State 52
@SIUE 89, Northern Illinois 79
KENTUCKY 73, TENNESSEE TECH 67
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Tennessee Tech had the game down to just one point with just 3:52 remaining in the contest Sunday. Every time Kentucky was able to get the lead out to double-digits prior to that point, the Golden Eagles kept coming back.
However, Kentucky made the late surge at the free-throw line as the Wildcats scored 11 of their last 13 points at the stripe to take a 73-67 win Sunday afternoon at Transylvania University's Clive M. Beck Center.
Maaliya Owens scored a career-high 30 points – the first Golden Eagle to score 30 since Jordan Brock against Murray State in the 2020-21 campaign – as she was 8-for-16 from the field and 6-for-12 from long-range. Owens also went 8-for-8 at the free-throw line, pulled down five rebounds, had two assists, a steal and a block.
She was the lone Tech scorer in double-figures with Reghan Grimes scoring nine points to go along with five assists and four rebounds, while Anna Walker had eight points, six rebounds and four blocks.
Tech fell to 2-5 on the season and returns to action next Sunday as it hosts Middle Tennessee.
The Wildcats (4-5) went 17-of-25 at the line, led by an 8-for-8 performance by Emma King and a 7-for-13 effort for Ajae Petty, who drew 12 fouls in the contest. Petty led all scorers with 33 points on 13-of-20 shooting, completing the double-double with 15 rebounds with an assist, a steal and three blocks.
UK also got double-digit scoring production from King (14 points), Saniah Tyler (13 points) and Eniya Russell (12 points).
Kentucky took a 12-point lead late in the first quarter, but the Golden Eagles chipped away, cutting it back within six as the first quarter came to a close at 21-15. Both teams scored 19 points in the second, helped by a 7-0 run for the Golden Eagles, leaving the margin at the same at intermission with the Wildcats winning 40-34.
Tech outscored Kentucky 16-14 in the third quarter, but the fourth quarter saw the Wildcats score 13 of their 19 points in the period at the free-throw line as they went 13-of-16.
Defensively, the Golden Eagles were able to make Kentucky work, forcing 17 turnovers, collecting seven steals and seven blocks as the Wildcats shot 9-for-23 from the field.
AKRON 55, TENNESSEE STATE 49
AKRON, Ohio - The Tennessee State women's basketball team kept Akron to just 16.7 percent from deep in a 3-for-18 shooting performance, but fell 55-49 to the Zips on the road Sunday.
The Tigers (2-6) had two players score in double figures, led by Sanaa' St. Andre, who had 17 points. Caitlin Anderson added 11 points, four assists, and two steals and Eboni Williams added seven points and seven rebounds.
Williams pulled down four offensive rebounds to lead an offense that racked up second-chance opportunities for Tennessee State, grabbing 13 boards and turning them into six second-chance points.
Tennessee State's defense held Akron to only 16.7 percent shooting from beyond the arc and 32 percent from the field.
Tennessee State struggled out of the gate, falling behind 14-6 at the end of the first quarter.
Akron kept adding to that lead, building a 27-16 advantage before Tennessee State went on a 5-0 run, highlighted by a bucket from St. Andre, to narrow its deficit to 27-21, a score that would hold until halftime.
Tennessee State came out of halftime on fire, going on a 5-0 run, punctuated by a basket from St. Andre, to trim its deficit to 27-26 with 9:07 to go in the third. Akron countered and stretched its lead to 41-38 heading into the fourth. Tennessee State played well near the basket, scoring 12 of its 17 points in the paint.
Tennessee State could not pull any closer in the fourth, losing by a final of 55-49. Tennessee State took advantage of its opportunities in the post, scoring eight of its 11 points in the paint.
ETSU 56, MOREHEAD STATE 52
MOREHEAD, Ky. - A late rally by the Morehead State women's basketball team came up just short on Sunday afternoon, as MSU fell to East Tennessee State 56-52 at Johnson Arena.
King added six points to her 12-rebound game for the Eagles (3-5). Veronica Charles helped out with nine points, six assists and three steals and Melissa Secchiaroli chipped in with 10 points and two steals.
King pulled down five offensive rebounds to pace an offense that racked up second chance opportunities for Morehead State, grabbing 11 boards and turning them into nine second chance points.
Morehead State's defense held East Tennessee State to only 37.3 percent shooting from the field, including 30 percent from beyond the arc. The Buccaneers did not have much luck cleaning up their misses on the offensive glass either, as they finished with nine offensive rebounds and managed 10 second chance points.
A 12-0 ETSU run to close the 3rd quarter proved to be the downfall for MSU in the loss.
Morehead State struggled out of the gate, falling behind 16-9 at the end of the first quarter.
Morehead State kept the Buccaneers from increasing their lead before going on a 5-0 run, highlighted by a bucket from King, to narrow its deficit to 23-21. East Tennessee State responded and expanded its lead, leaving the Eagles trailing 31-26 heading into halftime.
Morehead State came out of halftime on fire, going on a 5-0 run, punctuated by a three from Secchiaroli, to tie things up at 31 with 8:09 to go in the third. The Eagles could not advance their rally further as the Buccaneers took a 45-33 lead into the fourth quarter. Morehead State knocked down one three-pointer in the quarter to score three of its seven total points.
Morehead State kept the Buccaneers from increasing their lead before going on a 6-0 run, finished off by Charles' three, to shrink the deficit to 47-41 with 6:24 to go in the contest. The Eagles kept their comeback going, but East Tennessee State managed to hold on for the 56-52 win. Morehead State took advantage of two East Tennessee State turnovers in the quarter, scoring five points off of those takeaways.
SIUE 89, NORTHERN ILLINOIS 79
EDWARDSVILLE, Mo. - KK Rodriguez led SIUE's scoring efforts with a new high 34 points as the Cougars downed Northern Illinois, 89-79, on Sunday afternoon inside First Community Arena. The graduate student grabbed the opening two points of the contest and never looked back as SIUE held its lead for the entirety of the contest.
SIUE secured its second win of the season and second consecutive victory against the Huskies dating back to last season. SIUE improves to 2-7 overall while NIU falls to 3-5.
SIUE ran out to a quick start, shooting 55 percent (11-20) overall and 5-7 from deep in the opening quarter. The Cougars' 27 points in the first were a season best mark.
Overall, SIUE shot 48 percent (30-63) from the floor, 50 percent (11-22) from three-point range, and 82 percent (18-22) at the free throw line. The Cougars outrebounded the Huskies 32-32 and 11-9 on the offensive glass.
Rodriguez had a stellar game, shooting 11-18 from the floor, 3-5 from deep, and 9-10 at the charity stripe. She contributed five rebounds, five assists, and a steal. The guard's 34-point outing was her eighth straight in double-figures and her fourth game this season with 30 or more.
Sofie Lowis added 18 points, all of which came from beyond the arc. She was 6-9 from three-point land, a career best mark, while picking up two rebounds, two assists, and a steal.
Ava Stoller added 14 points while leading SIUE on the glass with a season-best eight boards. She was perfect from the free-throw line, going 6-6 while shooting 4-10 overall. The freshman also was effective in finding open teammates, dishing out six of the Cougars' 21 assists.
Halle Smith contributed eight points while Olivia Clayton finished the game with seven. Both forwards grabbed four rebounds apiece. Defensively, Clayton led SIUE with three blocks, tying a season high. The senior also tied a season high with three steals.