No. 12 Kentucky women advance in SEC, 67-61 over Vanderbilt

Mar 5, 2015, 11:08 pm

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- Jennifer O'Neill scored 19 points and Linnae Harper 18 to lead sixth-seeded and No. 12-ranked Kentucky to a 67-61 win over No. 11-seed Vanderbilt in the second round of the SEC tournament on Thursday.

The Wildcats (21-8) face the third-seeded and No. 11-ranked Mississippi State in Friday's quarterfinals.

Kentucky led 54-42 after Bria Goss and Alexis Jennings made two free throws each after a foul and a technical foul on Vanderbilt with 8:57 to play. The Commodores quickly answered with five points by Rebekah Dahlman and a Jasmine Jenkins layup.

Another Kentucky surge made it a 10 point game with 3:02 to go but Vanderbilt (15-16) came back again and trailed 65-61 when Dahlman's basket was waved off with 45 seconds left because of an offensive foul. O'Neill, who had 16 points in the second half, made two free throws to ice it.

Marqu'es Webb had 18 points for Vanderbilt with Jenkins adding 12 and Dahlman and Paris Kea 10 each. Dahlman also had 10 rebounds.