The Kentucky women’s basketball team suffered their first loss of the season on Tuesday night, as they were defeated by Austin Peay by a score of 68-63. Despite a strong performance from Ajae Petty, who recorded 19 points and 14 rebounds, Kentucky was unable to secure the victory.
Saniah Tyler and Eniya Russell also contributed to the Cats’ efforts with 11 points apiece. However, Kentucky was missing their star guard Maddie Scherr due to an ankle injury, which surely impacted their performance on the court.
Kentucky struggled with their shooting throughout the game, making just 31.4% of their shots from the floor, including a disappointing 20% from behind the arc. In contrast, Austin Peay had a more efficient shooting night, making 52.9% of their shots from the floor and 35.3% from three-point range.
The game started off tightly contested, with four ties in the first quarter. However, Austin Peay closed out the quarter with a 6-2 run to take a 14-10 lead. The Governors continued their momentum into the second quarter, going on a 7-0 run to build a 21-10 advantage. Kentucky responded with a 15-4 run, thanks to a strong performance from Tyler, to tie the game at 25-25. However, Austin Peay regained the lead and held a 30-28 advantage at halftime.
The third quarter saw Austin Peay once again start with a run, this time a 7-0 stretch, to take a 37-28 lead. Kentucky fought back and managed to get within six points, 41-35, on a layup from Brooklynn Miles. However, Austin Peay maintained their lead and entered the final period with a 51-41 advantage.
Although Kentucky fell behind by 13 points early in the fourth quarter, they made a late surge to make the game close. The Cats went on an 18-7 run and cut the deficit to just two points, 63-61, with 1:24 remaining. Nevertheless, Austin Peay made their free throws down the stretch to secure the victory.
Kentucky will look to bounce back from this loss when they face Florida Gulf Coast on Sunday in Fort Myers, Florida. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET and the game can be watched on ESPN Plus.
