Kentucky women crush Northern Kentucky 79-28 behind Boone's 21
The Wildcats forced 28 turnovers and built a 42-12 halftime lead in a dominant performance.
By Neha Kapoor ·
Asia Boone sank five three-pointers to finish with 21 points as No. 14 Kentucky dismantled Northern Kentucky 79-28 on Thursday night in Lexington.
The Wildcats controlled the game from the opening tip. They scored the first nine points of the contest and added 16 more at the end of the first quarter. Northern Kentucky shot just 1-of-9 from the floor in that period and committed 10 turnovers. Kentucky led 25-3 before intermission and extended the margin to 42-12 at the break.
Clara Strack anchored the defense with a double-double, recording 11 points, 10 rebounds, four blocks, and three steals. Me’Arah O’Neal contributed 12 points, while Ajša Sivka added 11 for the Wildcats, who improved to 2-0.
Northern Kentucky struggled to find rhythm, shooting 13.6% from the field and 2-of-20 from beyond the arc. Sara Basaran and Anna Hamilton led the Norse with six points each. The team relied on the free-throw line for half its total points, making 14 of 18 attempts.
Kentucky forced 28 turnovers and outrebounded Northern Kentucky 60-34. A 20-point run spanning the end of the first quarter and the start of the second sealed the blowout. Boone’s three-pointer pushed the score to 36-5 early in the second half.
Northern Kentucky returns home Saturday to face Kent State. Kentucky hosts No. 25 NC State on Sunday.
