LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Georgia Amoore scored 19 points, Clara Strack and Teonni Key had double-doubles, and No. 11 Kentucky defeated Arkansas 89-69 on Sunday.
Strack had 17 points and 10 rebounds and Key contributed 13 points and 11 rebounds for the Wildcats (17-2, 6-1 SEC). Dazia Lawrence and Amelia Hassett each scored 14 points as all five starters scored in double figures. Amoore had eight assists and Hassett had seven rebounds, four assists, and four blocks.
After leading 44-28 at halftime, Strack scored Kentucky's first nine points of the third quarter to help maintain the 16-point lead. The Wildcats then blew it open when Hassett and Lawrence each went 3 for 3 from deep en route to a 77-53 advantage heading to the fourth period.
Izzy Higginbottom, the nation’s fifth-leading scorer at 22.8 ppg coming in, scored 14 of the Razorbacks’ final 19 points in the third quarter. She opened the fourth quarter with four more, but Arkansas (8-14, 1-6) never got closer than 19 points.
Higginbottom finished with 32 points. Off the bench, Carly Keats scored 14 points and Jenna Lawrence had 13.
Kentucky shot 64% and made eight free throws in the first quarter, building a 29-10 lead. The Wildcats scored the first 11 and the last 12 points of the quarter.
Kentucky stretched the lead to 25 points when Lexi Blue and Lawrence hit back-to-back 3-pointers for a 42-17 lead before Arkansas regrouped and finished the half on an 11-2 run.
It was Kentucky's annual We Back Pat game, promoting research, care and education surrounding Alzheimer’s disease.
Kentucky hosts No. 19 Alabama on Thursday when Arkansas hosts Texas A&M.
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