Kentucky Wildcats Avoid Upset, Advance with Thrilling 79-78 Win

LEXINGTON, Ky. — In a nail-biting finish, the No. 4-seed Kentucky Wildcats narrowly defeated No. 13-seed Liberty Flames 79-78 in the first round of the NCAA tournament on Friday, securing their first tournament win since 2021. Senior guard Maddie Amoore played a crucial role, scoring 34 points, the most by a Kentucky player in a tournament game since A’dia Mathies in 2013.

With just seven seconds remaining, Amoore stepped to the free-throw line needing to make both attempts to tie the school record. She made one and missed the other but helped the Wildcats hold on for the win. “Anything can happen,” Amoore said after the match at Memorial Coliseum, highlighting the pressure of the moment.

The game was almost marked by a historic comeback for Liberty, who trailed by 17 points early in the fourth quarter. If they had managed to overcome that deficit, it would have been the second-largest fourth-quarter comeback in NCAA tournament history, according to ESPN Research. As the game approached the final minute, Liberty narrowed the gap to just one point.

A defensive rebound from Kentucky thwarted Liberty’s last-chance effort with around 23 seconds left, allowing Amoore to get the ball back to the free-throw line. She hit three of four attempts during the critical stretch, which ultimately sealed the victory for Kentucky, despite a miraculous three-pointer from Liberty’s Mya Jones with just two seconds remaining.

First-year Kentucky coach Kenny Brooks expressed dissatisfaction with his team’s performance in the closing minutes, particularly in the paint, where Liberty capitalized on their opportunities. “You have to give them credit. They were the aggressors,” Brooks said, emphasizing how Liberty forced the Wildcats into a defensive stance when they should have aggressively secured the win.

Amoore’s early-game performance included 23 points in the first half, shooting 9-of-13 from the field and 5-of-6 on three-point attempts. However, her scoring dipped in the fourth quarter, and the Wildcats struggled, hitting only five of 17 shots as they tried to maintain their lead.

Junior guard Robyn Lawrence contributed significant support with 16 points, including a pivotal midrange jumper late in the game. “Just playing off Georgia, I know any time she comes off the screen, I need to go in the corner,” said Lawrence, recounting the synergy with her teammate.

Amoore, also honored as a first-team All-SEC player and the conference’s newcomer of the year, logged all 40 minutes on the court while also contributing eight assists, leading to 55 points combined through her scoring and assists. This feat ranks among the highest total in tournament game history since 2019.

The Wildcats are now one victory away from reaching the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2016, a goal they have kept in mind as the season progresses. “We just wanted to build around it,” Brooks mentioned about assembling the team, noting the importance of chemistry and collective performance. “I thought we did a really good job of that, evident by the way they’ve come together.”