Clara Strack, left, and Clara Silva combined for 33 points, 17 rebounds, 10 assists and nine blocked shots in Thursday’s win. (Vicky Graff Photo)
For anyone wondering how much difference Kentucky’s length might make this season then you got your answer Thursday night.
Kentucky blocked 16 shots to key a 70-41 victory over Northern Kentucky. That shot blocking more than made up for a 5-for-25 shooting performance from 3 for the UK women and allowed Kentucky to control the game.
Northern Kentucky coach Jeff Hans said UK’s size not only provides rim protection but even impacts 3-point shooting (Northern was 3-for-19 from 3).
“They do a good job making up for mistakes and not letting their guards give up open 3’s,” Hans said. “We could not get some backdoor cuts. Any drives are always contested. We had to work our butts off to get anything. The length of them coming out and contesting 3’s on the perimeter alters everything and just makes it hard.”
The shot blocking was led by 6-7 Clara Silva with five but 6-5 Clara Strack had four. Even point guard Georgia Amoore had three as did 6-2 guard Amelia Hassett.
“She is going to boast about that,” UK coach Kenny Brooks said when I asked him about Amoore’s three blocked shots. “She is probably bragging about that now. She better keep her little butt on the ground. We got other people to block shots.:
Strack was on triple-double alert as she had 15 points on 6-for-10 shooting along with 13 rebounds and eight assists.
“She’s got a nose for the basketball, she goes after it,” Brooks said. “She’s as physical as any player I’ve ever had. She wants to go get the rebounds, but she’s going to have to learn to play without fouling.”
Silva had 18 points along with four rebounds and two assists to go with her blocked shots in her 22 minutes.
When she was not blocking shots, Amoore was Amoore. She had 13 points on her 5-for-13 shooting but added eight assists, five rebounds and one steals along with her three blocks in 37 minutes.
“I am just glad I had a front row seat to see her play,” Hans said. “I have seen her on TV a lot. It was a great experience for all our guards. You try to keep her in front of you and make her take tough shots. We did a pretty good job but then she gets loose and makes floaters and gets to the rim.”
Brooks thought the game was a “good test” for his team because his bigger post players had to guard undersized players that forced them to move their feet more on defense.
“We know we have a lot to work on but we also have a lot to celebrate,” Brooks said. “Our defense was not good overall but we blocked a lot of shots and used our height and length. We just need a little more in certain areas.
UK-NKU WBB
Photos by Vicky Graff
