Kentucky vs Austin Peay: Postgame Notes

In a close matchup on Tuesday, the Austin Peay Governors defeated the Kentucky Wildcats by a final score of 68-63. This victory improves Austin Peay’s record to 1-2 for the season, while Kentucky falls to 2-1.

The Wildcats, led by head coach Kyra Elzy, have a 51-41 overall record under her leadership. Despite the loss, Kentucky still holds a 6-1 advantage in all-time matchups against the Governors, including a 4-1 record in home games. The Wildcats will now embark on a four-game away stretch, beginning with a game against NR/RV Florida Gulf Coast on November 19.

In this game, Kentucky experimented with a new starting lineup of Brooklynn Miles, Saniah Tyler, Ajae Petty, Eniya Russell, and Amiya Jenkins. Unfortunately, the Wildcats did not find success with this combination as they dropped to 0-1 when utilizing this starting lineup. Additionally, Maddie Scherr was unavailable due to an ankle injury.

Despite the loss, there were standout performances from some Wildcats players. Ajae Petty had a career-high tying 19 points and a career-high 14 rebounds. This marked her third consecutive game scoring at least 10 points and her second game of the season with a double-double. Petty also contributed three steals. Eniya Russell, in her first career start, scored 11 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Saniah Tyler added 11 points, including a career-high three 3-pointers, and three steals. Brooklynn Miles led the team with a career-high seven assists to go along with eight points and four rebounds.

Throughout the game, Kentucky struggled with their shooting, converting just 31.4 percent of their field goal attempts. However, they did outrebound Austin Peay by a margin of 39-32, a testament to their effort on the boards.

The game was closely contested, with Austin Peay having the edge at the end of each quarter. At halftime, the Governors held a narrow 30-28 lead. They extended their advantage in the third quarter, outscoring Kentucky 21-13 to take a 51-41 lead heading into the final period. However, the Wildcats fought back in the fourth quarter, cutting the deficit to two points with just 1:24 remaining. Unfortunately, Austin Peay responded with a layup and closed out the game with a 5-2 run to secure the win.

Despite the loss, Kentucky will look to bounce back in their upcoming away games. With the contributions of players like Petty, Russell, Tyler, and Miles, the Wildcats have a strong foundation to build upon as they continue their 50th season of women’s basketball.