Kentucky pulls away late to top Alabama

DeNesha Stallworth and Samarie Walker each recorded a double-double as No. 6 Kentucky downed Alabama, 87-70, on Sunday.

Stallworth finished with a game-high 19 points and 10 rebounds, while Walker added 15 points and 13 boards for the Wildcats (14-1, 2-0 SEC), who saw each of their starters score in double digits.

A'dia Mathies recorded 17 points, Bria Goss poured in 12 and Jennifer O'Neill scored 11 in Kentucky's 13th straight win.

Meghan Perkins had 18 points and six rebounds to pace Alabama (10-5, 0-2), which dropped its second straight on the heels of a four-game win streak.

Alabama was able to keep the game close over the first six-plus minutes of the first half, but after Alicia Mitcham's jumper knotted the game at 9-9, the Wildcats embarked on a 16-4 run to jump ahead, 25-13.

The Crimson Tide responded with a 15-7 push to get back within four points before Kentucky scored the final three points of the first half to carry a 35-28 edge into the second half.

Alabama would close its gap to four points on two separate occasions in the second half, with the last coming when Shafontaye Myers capped a brief 6-0 spurt with a layup to make it a 47-43 game about five minutes into the frame.

Kentucky, however, responded with an 11-3 run to reopen a 12-point lead, and the Crimson Tide would get no closer than nine points for the remainder of the game as the Wildcats gradually pulled away.