Strack scores 22, No. 22 Kentucky starts Kenny Brooks era with 98-43 win over USC Upstate

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Clara Strack scored 22 points, Georgia Amoore added 11, and No. 22 Kentucky started with a 98-43 win over South Carolina Upstate on Monday in the Wildcats' first game under Kenny Brooks.

Brooks built Virginia Tech into an NCAA Tournament regular and brought Strack, a 6-foot-5 sophomore, and Amoore, a graduate senior and All-American candidate, with him as his Wildcat roster has 11 new players.

Amoore had nine points in the first quarter, and Kentucky used runs of 11 and nine points to lead 26-11 after one quarter. A 15-point run helped boost the Wildcats' lead to 47-18 at the half.

Teonni Key, Amelia Hassett and freshman Clara Silva all had 14 points. Key and Hassett each had nine rebounds, while Silva went 6-for-6 and had six blocks.

The Wildcats shot 52% (35 of 67) and held the Spartans to 29% shooting. USC Upstate had 18 turnovers and was outscored 34-0 on points off turnovers.

Rebekah Gordon and AC Markham led USC Update with eight points.