LEXINGTON, Ky. – Auburn's Aicha Coulibaly and Precious Johnson recorded double-doubles, but Kentucky on its senior day was too much in a 90-62 loss Sunday at Memorial Coliseum.
"We gave up wide-open 3-pointers," Auburn head coach Johnnie Harris said. "We didn't handle it right. We gave up wide-open shots, and (Howard) knocked them down, which we knew she would do. We got out-played, we got out-toughed. We made ill-advised fouls. They just took it to us."
Coulibaly and Johnson both finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds. It was the fifth double-double of the season for Coulibaly and the first of Johnson's career; her scoring and rebound totals were both career-highs. Xaria Wiggins added a career-high nine rebounds.
Kentucky shot 51 percent from the floor while the Tigers were 21-of-72 (29%). Auburn had multiple second-chance opportunities, pulling down a season-best 27 offensive rebounds, but turned those into just 20 points. Overall, Auburn out-rebounded the Wildcats 49-35. UK turned 15 Auburn turnovers into 17 points, and the Kentucky bench outscored Auburn's 34-10. The Wildcats hit 10 3-pointers, a season-high by an Auburn opponent.
The Wildcats fired on all cylinders from the start, hitting six first-quarter 3-pointers to push to a 30-15 lead after 10 minutes. That lead would extend to 47-26 at the half as the Cats shot 53 percent from the floor in the opening 20 minutes, hitting 8-of-12 attempts from long range.
Kentucky's Rhyne Howard made the most of her senior day, leading all scorers with 32 points, knocking down eight 3-pointers.
Auburn will be the No. 14 seed in the 2022 SEC Tournament, which begins Wednesday in Nashville. The Tigers will face Alabama in the first round with tip set for approximately 1:30 p.m. CT Wednesday at Bridgestone Arena.
Tigers drop regular-season finale at Kentucky
