The Auburn Tigers women's basketball team fell to the No. 6 Kentucky Wildcats 66-48 Thursday night in Auburn Arena.
Junior forward Blanche Alverson put Auburn (10-11, 2-6) on the board first with an early three-pointer, and the Tigers kept the game close for most of the first half.
With 10:13 left before halftime, Auburn took it 16-11 lead with a two-point shot by sophomore guard Tyrese Tanner. It was the largest lead of the night for the Tigers.
Kentucky fought back with an 18-0 run, keeping Auburn scoreless until the 1:48 mark in the first half. Auburn trailed 31-20 at the half after turning the ball over 16 times.
"It is just a real testament to how hard our players have worked," said Wildcats coach Matthew Mitchell. "It was our goal to turn Auburn over."
Auburn pulled within eight points early in the second half, but was unable to close the gap further.
Kentucky guard A'dia Mathies led the game with 20 points, shooting 7-16 from the field and knocking down three baskets from behind the arc.
"In practice I was getting more confidence, and that carried over to the game," Mathies said. "I was playing hard on defense and when I do that, the offense comes with it."
Alverson shot better than 50 percent from the field and from three-point range, scoring a team high 15 points.
"I think sometimes we try to play too fast," Alverson said. "When you play a team like Kentucky, you have to be poised and not turn the ball over."
Coach Nell Fortner credited Kentucky for their tough defense throughout the game.
"They made it very hard for us to score, and they play with a very intense pressure," Fortner said. "It is unlike anything we have played against this year."
The Tigers' next game is Jan. 29 at Ole Miss
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