LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Rhyne Howard had 16 points, eight rebounds and seven assists and No. 15 Kentucky used its balance to defeat Alabama 81-68 on Thursday night.
Robyn Benton added 15 points for the Wildcats (12-4, 5-3 Southeastern Conference) and Chasity Patterson and Dre’Una Edwards scored 10 apiece with 10 different players scoring. Jazmine Massengill had seven points, seven assists and six rebounds off the bench.
Jasmine Walker scored 27 points and grabbed 11 rebounds with three blocks for the Crimson Tide (12-4, 5-3), whose three losses have come to ranked teams. Jordan Lewis added 15 points with seven assists to move into fifth on the Alabama career list (464).
Kentucky put together a 14-2 run in the second quarter with Tatyana Wyatt scoring the first six points. Benton hit a 3-pointer and made a layup at the end of the quarter for a 39-28 lead at the break.
The Tide was within nine midway through the third quarter when the Wildcats had a 15-7 run to go up by 22.
Walker had a 3-pointer and Lewis hit a pair of free throws to pull Alabama within eight with more than four minutes to go but Kentucky had the next five points to end the threat.
Kentucky went 10 of 18 (56%) from 3-point range and shot 53% overall. Alabama had 11 3s, going 6 of 9 in the fourth quarter, but only shot 43%.
The Wildcats are home against Missouri on Sunday when Alabama goes to fourth-ranked South Carolina.
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