‘Exactly what we need’: Brooklynn Miles’ defense sets the tone in UK’s win over Samford
Maddie Scherr tracked down a blocked shot by Ajae Petty, then Brooklynn Miles found Saniah Tyler for a fast-break layup with 6:07 to go and the UK faithful gathered at Transylvania University’s Clive M. Beck Center erupted as the Wildcats extended their lead to 12 in what turned out to be a 72-59 Kentucky victory against Samford on New Year’s Eve.
It was the fourth consecutive basket for UK in what would be a 12-0 scoring run that began with two made free throws by Scherr in exchange for a technical foul assessed to the Samford bench early in the fourth quarter. During that run, which resulted in a 62-46 lead with 4:17 to play and effectively put away the Bulldogs (7-7), the Kentucky women’s basketball team played its most aggressive basketball of the afternoon and looked to be in sync ahead of Thursday’s SEC opener against Arkansas.
The run highlighted exactly what worked so well for Kentucky (7-7) in the second half after managing just a 32-30 lead at the break: Kyra Elzy’s Wildcats are at their most confident offensively when they handle their business on defense.
“Our defensive intensity, that’s what does it usually every time when we go on those runs like that,” Miles said. “Defense turns into offense, I say it all the time.”
And, just as she often has done throughout UK’s 14 nonconference games, Miles led the charge defensively. What was different in Sunday’s game, however, was the increase in offensive production from Miles, a former Franklin County High School standout who began her college career at Tennessee before transferring to UK.
After a Dec. 6 loss to Minnesota, Miles mentioned in the postgame news conference that it’s “not really in (her) personality to go take all the shots,” and that she’d rather “set (her) teammates up and take what (she gets).”
Though Miles’ role as a regular point guard for the Wildcats requires her to find her teammates in positions to make big plays, Elzy had since mentioned that’s only part of what she wants to see from the sophomore.
All season, Miles has been a factor in setting the tone on defense and seeking opportunities for her teammates to score (averaging 3.6 assists per game). But, in the win against Samford, Miles added a career-high 13 points to go with a team-leading six assists and three steals. And Elzy was quite happy with the shift.
“I thought her intensity defensively is exactly what we need,” Elzy said. “Her vocal leadership. She’s just a pest on the ball. But also I thought she adjusted to how they were playing her. Where, early in the season, when they weren’t guarding her she would just stand. Today we talked to her about cutting, and we’ve been talking to her all nonconference. And so to see her cut, make layups, make plays and be aggressive, and that’s what we’re gonna need from her.”
Miles, who has started in all 14 games for UK, didn’t turn up the heat offensively until the second half. And she wasn’t alone. Out of the three Wildcats who finished in double figures in scoring on Sunday — Miles, Scherr and Petty — only Petty found her rhythm early on. And did she ever, ending the first half already with a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds. She finished the game with 22 points, 13 rebounds, two assists, two blocks and two steals.
Petty was the only Wildcat with more than five points at the half, and she was the main reason Kentucky earned and maintained its slim lead. Petty’s success in the paint is well-documented, and Elzy said her first-half performance went as planned.
“We pounded the ball in to her,” Elzy said. “I told her, ‘One on one, you gotta shoot the ball. You’re shooting 60% from the field. You don’t need to be a point guard, I don’t need you looking for anyone. One on one, turn and score. If you miss the shot, go back and get it. You have the green light.’ I huddled up the team, I was like, ‘Petty needs to shoot the ball and score inside in order for us to be our best,’ and she did that today.”
It wasn’t until the second half, when the Wildcats adjusted to the flow of Samford’s offense — focused on intentional ball movement and killing the opposition on open shots — that Kentucky turned the tide. Miles explained that in practice the team has focused all season, and specifically this week in preparation for Samford, on off-ball defensive strategy. She cited a moment mid-third quarter, where Emma King took advantage of Samford’s 6-5 center Emily Bowman attempting to post up Miles in the paint.
“Being in the right spot at the right time because those things matter,” Miles said. “As you could see, I was getting posted up by a big and Emma King ran over and got the steal. That’s what we work on. That’s what we’re supposed to do. So it’s paying off.”
Moments like that resulted in seven second-half steals for the Wildcats, an improvement from a first half that only yielded three. The team also held Samford to 38% shooting from the field in the second half, after the Bulldogs hit 48% of their first-half shots. And as UK found its footing defensively in the third and fourth quarters, its offense emerged.
Scherr, the team’s leading scorer, had just three points in the first half. Elzy said once Scherr developed a feel for the floor, she was able to be more aggressive.
“I thought Maddie passed up some shots early,” Elzy said. “Just trying to feel her way off the ball screen. I thought she was open, but you know, I want her to have a feel on the floor. Take it when she feels good.”
Scherr finished with 14 points — the seventh straight game she’s scored in double figures. She also contributed a season-high eight rebounds, five assists, one steal and one block.
Guard Masyn Marchbanks led the Bulldogs in scoring with 19 points, including making 5 of 7 3-point attempts. Guard Carly Heidger added 15 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Bowman finished with seven points and a team-high 10 rebounds.
Next game
When: 7 p.m. Thursday
Where: Rupp Arena
TV: SEC Network+ (online only)
Radio: WLAP-AM 630
Records: Minnesota 7-1, Kentucky 4-5
Series: Kentucky leads 26-15
Last meeting: Arkansas won 71-50 on Jan. 1, 2023, at Memorial Coliseum
