UK’s win streak ends at eight after 68-55 loss to Vandy

The Vanderbilt Commodores dumped UK on Valentine’s Day.

The No. 17 Cats (21-4, 9-3 Southeastern Conference) failed to win their ninth in a row after losing 68-55 to Vanderbilt (18-7, 7-5 SEC) in the Music City on Sunday.

Although the Cats couldn’t continue their winning ways, another streak, one that the Cats weren’t proud of, did not come to an end. UK was hoping to end a 24-year drought in Nashville, as the Cats have dropped 12 straight road games to the Commodores.

In January, the Cats put a stop to a 10-year winless streak against Vanderbilt with a win at Memorial Coliseum.

But a second half comeback wasn’t in store this time around for the Cats, who trailed by 10 points in the final half during the first matchup of the season between the two teams, only to storm back for a 10-point victory.

UK was up 25-24 at halftime paced by SEC Player of the Year candidate Victoria Dunlap’s 10 first-half points.

Trailing 18-15 just past the midway point of the first stanza the Cats went on a 9-0 run only to allow the Commodores to trim the lead to one in the final three minutes before the break.

Yet Vanderbilt’s hot shooting would not freeze over. The Commodores shot 49 percent from the field, including 8-of-13 from beyond the 3-point line. Conversely, the Cats made only one of their 14 3-point attempts.

Dunlap led UK in scoring with 19 points, but her five rebounds were below her season average and second behind 5-foot-6 junior guard Amber Smith’s seven boards.

Vanderbilt senior guard Meredith Marsh, a Louisville native, scored seven in the first half against her home-state Cats. She finished with 11 points.

Marsh’s backcourt partner, junior guard Jence Rhoads, led the Commodores with 25 points on 75 percent shooting from the field.

Vanderbilt came into the game on almost a week’s rest, following their Monday Feb. 8, primetime game against Tennessee on ESPN2, which they dropped to the Lady Vols.

UK returns to action when it hosts Florida on Thursday.