LEXINGTON, Ky. — Clara Strack delivered an impressive performance by hitting all 11 of her shots, tallying 23 points and grabbing 15 rebounds, leading No. 15 Kentucky to a resounding 82-58 victory over No. 11 Tennessee on Thursday night. This victory marked the Wildcats’ most significant margin of victory against the Lady Vols in history.
With this win, Kentucky solidified its position for a top-four finish in the conference, securing a double-bye for the upcoming SEC Tournament scheduled for March 5-9.
Strack achieved her 13th double-double of the season and broke a single-season program record by blocking three shots, bringing her total to 67. Her flawless shooting night established a new program benchmark for attempts with a minimum of ten.
Alongside Strack, Teonni Key recorded her 11th double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Georgia Amoore added 18 points and contributed seven assists, while Dazia Lawrence added 13 points to the Wildcats’ scoring tally.
For Tennessee, Talaysia Cooper was the sole player reaching double figures, scoring 25 points.
Kentucky took control from the beginning, leading 20-9 by the end of the first quarter and extending the advantage to 45-26 at halftime, with Strack scoring 17 points and Key contributing 14 points.
In the third quarter, Lawrence scored 10 points as Kentucky outpaced Tennessee 29-19, increasing their lead to 74-45.
The Wildcats shot an efficient 52% compared to Tennessee’s 31% and out-rebounded the Lady Vols 52-31, compensating for 20 turnovers committed during the game.
Coming into the game with the top-ranked scoring offense in the nation at nearly 90 points per game, Tennessee recorded its lowest total and suffered its most considerable defeat margin this season thus far.
Tennessee, whose four-game winning streak was broken, will host Georgia, while Kentucky is set to face No. 6 South Carolina in their regular-season finales on Sunday.
