LEXINGTON, Ky. — In a thrilling showdown on Friday night, Georgia Amoore made a significant impact, scoring 20 of her total 23 points in the second half, while Amelia Hassett contributed 16 points, highlighted by a critical 3-pointer with just 30.1 seconds left on the clock. The No. 16 ranked Kentucky Wildcats managed to secure a nail-biting victory over Belmont with a final score of 84-78.

As the game progressed late in the fourth quarter, the Wildcats saw their once-comfortable 12-point lead narrow down to just 79-76 with only 53 seconds remaining. This was thanks to impressive back-to-back 3-pointers from Tuti Jones and Kendal Holmes. At this crucial moment, Hassett, who also grabbed 11 rebounds, executed a step-back 3-pointer as the shot clock wound down, extending Kentucky’s lead to 82-76.

Joining in the scoring for Kentucky, Dazia Lawrence added 15 points, while Clara Strack and Teonnni Key both chipped in with 12 points each. Notably, Amoore achieved a remarkable feat by surpassing 2,000 career points in her previous outing and showcased her shooting prowess with seven 3-pointers, six of which were made in the second half. This game marked Kentucky’s first victory by less than double digits this season.

For Belmont, which now holds a record of 5-6, Jailyn Banks shined as the leading scorer with 23 points. The Bruins have encountered challenging competition, suffering six defeats against Power 4 teams, including ranked adversaries such as Kansas State, Ohio State, Duke, and Michigan. Alongside Banks, Holmes contributed 18 points, while Emi La Chapell, Tuti Jones, and Kendal Cheesman added 12, 11, and 10 points, respectively.

At halftime, the Bruins led 39-33, with Banks scoring 11 points and Cheesman adding 10. Kentucky started to turn the tide when Amoore hit two consecutive 3-pointers, giving her team a narrow 53-50 advantage with three minutes remaining in the third quarter. The Wildcats finished the third quarter leading 57-54, powered by four 3-pointers and 14 points from Amoore.

Amoore continued to shine in the fourth quarter, connecting on two 3-pointers surrounding a layup from Clara Silva, allowing Kentucky to extend their lead to 73-61 with five minutes left on the clock. The Wildcats displayed remarkable shooting accuracy in the second half, hitting at a rate of 62.5% and sinking eight 3-pointers.

Looking ahead, Kentucky is scheduled to host Western Kentucky on December 28, before they kick off their Southeastern Conference campaign in January.