Kentucky falls to Florida Gulf Coast in Sunday matchup

Amiya Jenkins put up a solid performance, scoring 18 points and grabbing six rebounds, but unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to secure a win for the Kentucky women’s basketball team. They fell to Florida Gulf Coast University with a final score of 59-48.

Ajae Petty also had a notable game, contributing 15 points and an impressive 13 rebounds for the Wildcats. However, no other Wildcat player managed to score more than four points.

Kentucky was once again without their star guard, Maddie Scherr, who is still dealing with an ankle injury. Her status remains day-to-day, leaving the team without one of their key players.

The game got off to a rough start for Kentucky, as FGCU opened with a 7-0 run, hitting three of their first five shots. Meanwhile, the Wildcats had two turnovers and hadn’t even attempted a field goal when they called a timeout early in the match. Kentucky finally got on the board with a basket from Amiya Jenkins with 5:49 left in the first period, followed by a three-pointer to cut the deficit to 11-5. Nonetheless, the Wildcats trailed 18-7 after the first period.

In the second quarter, Kentucky managed to score the first points, narrowing the gap to nine at 18-9 thanks to a basket by Ajae Petty. However, FGCU quickly responded with five points and maintained a double-digit lead for the rest of the half. At halftime, the Wildcats found themselves trailing 30-19, with Amiya Jenkins leading the team in scoring with nine points.

The third quarter proved to be a challenging one for Kentucky as FGCU started with a 12-2 run, extending their lead to 42-21. The Wildcats managed to go on an 8-2 run of their own, bringing the score to 46-31. However, FGCU answered with seven consecutive points, finishing the third period with a comfortable 55-31 lead.

The fourth quarter saw a rally from Kentucky, as they scored 13 consecutive points, shrinking the deficit to 11 points at 55-44, with 5:40 left to play. Unfortunately, FGCU responded with four quick points, pushing their lead to 59-44. Kentucky scored the last four points of the game, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the deficit, resulting in a final score of 59-48 in favor of FGCU.

Looking ahead, the Wildcats will have a chance to bounce back in the Paradise Jam in the Virgin Islands on Thursday. They will be facing N.C. State, with tipoff set for 3:15 p.m. ET, and the game will be broadcasted on ESPN Plus.