LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) - A'dia Mathies had 16 points, and No. 6 Kentucky routed Delaware State in the teams' season opener Saturday, 90-50.
The Wildcats (1-0) put their signature pressure defense to work early and forced Delaware State into turnovers - all traveling calls - on each of its first three possessions. By the time the Hornets (0-1) took their first shot, they were already down 7-0.
Kentucky then stretched its early lead to 20-4; at that point, seven different Wildcats had scored. The Wildcats' defense kept its press on the whole game, and the Hornets, making their debut under first-year head coach Tamika Louis, could not mount any sort of consistent offense. Delaware State did not score consecutive field goals until less than a minute was left in the first half.
Kentucky finished with 53 points off 31 Delaware State turnovers.
Mathies, the Southeastern Conference's preseason player of the year finished six assists and four steals. Tierra Hawkins had 28 points for the Hornets.
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