Wake Forest University
Kentucky
Women's Basketball Overcomes Kentucky, 82-77
12/31/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 31, 2005
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The Wake Forest women's basketball team overcame a six point half time deficit and took control of the game with a 23-4 run for an 82-77 victory over Kentucky, Saturday afternoon in Joel Coliseum. In the win, senior Cotelia Bond-Young scored the game-high 21 points and three others scored in double-figures.
The win improves the Demon Deacons to 7-4 overall, while the Wildcats drop to 9-3.
The game for Bond-Young is the16th of her career with 20-plus points and fifth of the season. On the day, she also earned five of the team's 14 steals. Freshman Deirdre Naughton also scored in double figures with 17 points, while senior Liz Strunk and freshman Corinne Groves each added 14. Sophomore Christen Brown led the team with five rebounds.
Wake Forest came out of the break and rallied back to not only capture the lead, but to push the Deacs out by 10 points. Wake controlled the pace of the second half, but Kentucky scored five straight points with just under two minutes remaining to bring the game within four. Playing the game down into free throws, the Cats brought it within two points with 45 seconds left. Hitting her final three from the line, Bond-Young solidified the victory for Wake Forest.
Kentucky took a 10 point lead off a 10-2 run in the beginning of the first half, but Wake Forest cut it to three with six minutes left. The Wildcats jumped out again by eight, but the Deacs fought back and brought the score within two in the end of the half. Hitting back-to-back buckets, the Cats went into the break with a 40-34 lead.
On the day, Wake Forest shot 39.6 percent from the field, while Kentucky closed out at 50 percent, including 64.3 percent in the first half. The Cats also won off the boards, pulling down 42 rebounds to the Deacs 22. Wake Forest forced a total of 29 turnovers and scored 37 points from them, in addition to 20 fast break points.
Wake Forest will open up the new year and its ACC season on Jan. 2 with a road game against Duke. Game time against the Blue Devils is set for 11:00 a.m.
