Kentucky women host NCAA Tournament games for first time in 8 years as they face Liberty

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — When fourth-seeded Kentucky tips off at home against No. 13 Liberty on Friday, it will be the first time the Wildcats have hosted the opening rounds since 2017.

The biggest reason for that stands just 5-foot-6.

Georgia Amoore came to Lexington from Virginia Tech, after coach Kenny Brooks left the Hokies to take over the Wildcats (22-7). The graduate transfer leads her new school averaging 19.1 points and 6.9 assists per game. The Aussie native also tops the Southeastern Conference in average assists and ranks fifth in scoring.

Amoore earned second team All-America honors Wednesday, but her stats only tell part of her role.

While Brooks noted every player has a pivotal role in Kentucky’s success this season, he’s often called Amoore his quarterback. That’s a critical role since the team came together in the past year.

“Georgia obviously has a cheat code because she’s been with me for, I think, 22 years, but she knows me inside and out,” he said. “If I say this, she can interpret it, and she can explain it to the rest of the group.”

Amoore understood what would be expected of her when she came to Kentucky. She did it because she trusted Brooks.

“I knew this was a huge responsibility coming here, and the way it played out, I got so much better in a lot of aspects of my game, my leadership, my ability to adapt to change,” she said. “It’s what I needed going forward for whatever my future holds.”

Both teams rely on their defenses. The Flames (26-6) are 33rd nationally, holding opponents to 37.1% shooting. Kentucky is eighth at 35.7% and will go against the nation’s 28th-best shooting offense at 46.1%.

“We’re playing some of our best ball right now, and confident,” Flames coach Carey Green said. “I think that’s one of the first steps. You’ve got to believe in yourself.”

The winner advances to Sunday’s second round in Lexington and will face either Kansas State (26-7) or Fairfield (28-4).

Clash of styles

Led by center Ayoka Lee, who is healthy after missing two months with foot injuries, Kansas State averages 79.3 points a game. Fairfield has held its opponents to just 54 points a contest — 10th best in the nation.

The fifth-seeded Wildcats feature a lineup with no one shorter than 5-foot-11 starting. Lee is the anchor of the team, averaging 15.5 points. She’s only played five minutes in the past two months due to the injuries.

“I feel like I’m 100 percent,” Lee said. “I’m in a good spot. We haven’t really discussed minutes. But I don’t think it’s really much of a discussion.”

Fairfield, a 12th seed, starts four players 5-foot-10 or shorter. The Stags’ five-out offense runs at a faster tempo than the coach Jeff Mittie’s Wildcats are used to facing.

“They play at a pace that will be a challenge for all of our centers, but at the other end of the floor, we’ve got to make them pay,” he said.

Fairfield is making its third appearance in the NCAAs in the last four years.

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