By Kindsey Bernhard
NKyTribune Intern
UK Hoops began the NCAA Tournament in front of a home crowd with a 73-70 win over Belmont University in Memorial Coliseum on Friday afternoon.
The No. 4 seeded Wildcats’ home court advantage over 13-seeded Belmont showed in the first quarter. The Wildcats started the game with a hot shooting hand, going 7-of-8 from the field and finishing 9-of-13 and 3-of-4 from three-point range.
The second quarter was a different story for the Cats. Despite UK’s 12-point lead with less than a minute left in the first quarter, the Bruins outscored UK 23-12 in the second quarter to take a one-point lead at halftime.
Makayla Epps his five three-pointers in 73-70 win over Belmont University in first-found game of NCAA Tournament. (Photo by Britney Howard/UK Athletics)
The Cats were outrebounded 20-9 in the first half, 13-4 in the second quarter. Despite their hot shooting in the first quarter, the Cats struggled from the field in the second quarter, going 5-of-16.
The message from head coach Matthew Mitchell must have been clear at halftime. The Cats started the second half on a 13-0 run and the defense kept Belmont scoreless for the first six minutes.
“I was just matter-of-fact with them and let them know that until we got the hustle turned around, there wasn’t really anything that we could do to help them,” Mitchell aid on his halftime speech. “Belmont was really the aggressor in that second quarter and I thought that was really dangerous for us because they got into a rhythm and then they started having some great belief that they could beat us. It was a difficult game and that second quarter was uncharacteristic of us from the standpoint of hustle. So we just tried to refocus on that.”
Eevelyn Akhator said halftime was a “gut-check” for her and the team.
“During halftime we did a gut-check and he (Mitchell) had to get on me because I had been relaxing and after that we talked about it as a team and we realized that we just had to keep going,” Akjator said. “We knew that no matter what, we didn’t want to go home today so we had to be able to fight.”
The game continued to be back-and-forth until the final buzzer. The Bruins kept fighting and kept the game within three points, playing the foul and free throw game until the end.
Belmont’s Darby Maggard, who ranks second in three-point field-goal percentage and three-point field goals made, was unable to tie the game for her team in the final minutes. Maggard finished with 15 points, all from the three-point line.
Maci Morris, UK’s best free throw shooter on the team, went 7-of-8 at the free throw line in the final minute to keep the Cat’s lead and seal the win.
“Free throw wise, I was just like I didn’t want to miss because in the past I’ve missed some big free throws that could of helped us,” Morris said. “I mean we got the win but I didn’t want to miss for them. Epps told me after I missed that one, I was going to make the next two. I’m glad my teammates have a lot of faith in me.”
“I don’t think she worried too much about what was going on the court and that’s a good demeanor to have in those types of situations,” Mitchell said on Morris’ clutch free throw shooting. “Because on the last couple of free throws, my heart was racing because you watch these kids, and I’ve been coaching for over 20 years now, and I still get amazed at watching these young people go up there in those situations and knock down those free throws. Maci is just a real cool player and didn’t get worked up about it.”
UK Hoops’ two seniors led the way for their team once again this season. Makayla Epps led with 30 points, playing the entire 40 minutes of the game. Epps finished with five three-pointers, her previous high was three.
“The shots were open, I felt good, my feet were set,” Epps said on her five three-pointers. “And even the ones I missed, they felt good.”
“I was not surprised that Belmont packed the lane and tried not to let her get there, but she is also a great rhythm shooter,” Mitchell said. “When she gets in rhythm and gets her legs underneath her and gets her elbow underneath the ball and really uses her legs and her footwork, she can shoot 3-pointers well.”
Akhator recorded her seventeenth double-double of the season with 22 points and 10 rebounds.
“It was just a really good feeling today being back in Memorial Coliseum,” Epps said. “For Evelyn and I it was Senior Night Part II and so now Sunday we have Senior Night Part III. So, we’re just going to keep celebrating senior night until senior night is over. We’re proud of the team and the poise that we had down the stretch.”
UK will play the 5–seeded Ohio State Buckeyes on Sunday in Memorial Coliseum. The time of the game has not been announced. The winner will advance to the Sweet 16.
Kindsey Bernhard is a journalism senior at the University of Kentucky. She is from Ft. Wright and played high school basketball at Notre Dame Academy.
