LEXINGTON, Ky. — In a spectacular opening to their Southeastern Conference season, the 16th-ranked Kentucky Wildcats dominated the Mississippi State Bulldogs with a decisive 91-69 victory on Thursday night. Dazia Lawrence led the charge with an impressive 28 points, while Georgia Amoore contributed significantly with 24 points. The Wildcats set a new school record by sinking 18 three-pointers during the match.

Kentucky, now boasting a 12-1 record overall and 1-0 in the conference, had exceptional shooting from beyond the arc, making 18 of 33 attempts, which translates to a 54.5% success rate. Lawrence excelled with 7 of 11 from three-point range, and Amoore wasn’t far behind with 7 of 10. Amelia Hassett chipped in with three three-pointers and recorded 14 points overall.

In addition to their outstanding outside shooting, the Wildcats demonstrated their prowess on the boards, with Teonni Key notching a double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds. Clara Strack also shined defensively, collecting 11 rebounds and blocking five shots. Key manufactured another four blocks, marking a significant defensive presence, and showcasing Kentucky’s impressive overall defense as they have already accumulated over 100 blocked shots this season, closing in on the school record of 181.

Previously, the Wildcats had only recorded 16 three-pointers in a single game, making this accomplishment particularly special.

For the Bulldogs, who now stand at 13-2 and 0-1 in conference play, Jerkaila Jordan was a standout scorer with 17 points, while teammates Quanirah Montague and Eniya Russell each contributed 13 points.

The first quarter saw Lawrence and Amoore combining for five three-pointers, helping Kentucky establish a 25-16 lead. During the second quarter, the Wildcats added four more three-point shots, extending their lead to 49-35 by halftime. Kentucky’s first-half shooting performance was remarkable, hitting 9 of 15 three-point attempts for a 52% success rate, while Mississippi State managed to shoot 49% and made two three-pointers in the opening half, but struggled in the second half, shooting only 36% with another two made three-point shots.

Looking ahead, Mississippi State will play at home this Sunday against the second-ranked South Carolina before facing ninth-ranked Oklahoma next Thursday. Meanwhile, Kentucky will take on Vanderbilt on Sunday in their next matchup.