UK Hoops rallies from slow start, advances in NCAA Tournament

The UK women’s basketball team defeated 15-seed Navy 61-41 in the opening round of the women’s NCAA Tournament on Sunday to advance to the second round of the tournament for the fourth year in a row.
Despite a quiet game from two-time SEC Player of the Year A’dia Mathies, who scored just five points against the Midshipmen, UK overcame a slow start to pull away in the second half. Junior DeNesha Stallworth scored a game-high 18 points for the Cats in the victory, while sophomore Jennifer O’Neill added 12 points of her own, including nine in the second half.
UK shot just 31-percent from the field in the first half, trailing by a point at the break. But the Cats came roaring out of the gate in the second half, shooting 46-percent from the field en route to a 20-point victory.
The win improved the Cats’ record to 28-5 on the season, the second straight year the team has won at least 28 games. UK now prepares for a matchup against 7-seed Dayton Tuesday for a spot in the Sweet 16.