Kentucky women’s basketball (9-10, 2-3) defeated the Missouri Tigers (11-8, 2-4) 76-71 on Sunday afternoon inside Rupp Arena.
The Wildcats entered the SEC matchup winless in their last three games and, in that stretch, the Cats most recently suffered a disastrous 98-36 loss to South Carolina on Jan. 15.
“It was a tough loss, we needed to come back today and show the world what we’re made of,” Kentucky head coach Kyra Elzy said.
The Tigers, however, defeated the Georgia Lady Bulldogs 69-57 and grabbed their second conference victory of the year, improving to 2-3 in their last five games.
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The game tipped off and Emma King sank a 3-pointer right off the bat, but Missouri then scored on its first attempt down the court, resulting in each team starting 1-1 from the field.
At the first media timeout, Missouri led 13-7 with King having five of Kentucky’s seven points.Kentucky guard Eniya Russell shoots the ball during the Kentucky vs. Missouri women’s basketball game on Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024, at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky. Kentucky won 76-71. Photo by Sydney Yonker | Staff (Sydney Yonker)
When the first quarter concluded Missouri led 20-16 with Eniya Russell scoring the most first quarter points for the Cats with six while Hayley Frank led the Tigers with seven.
Missouri came out of the break and scored two points before Kentucky pasted the Tigers with seven straight points, resulting in a Missouri timeout.
Out of the timeout, Kentucky tacked on two more points as Saniah Tyler sank two shots from the charity stripe before Missouri finally answered back with Mama Dembele going 1-2 on two free-throws of her own.
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Kentucky then went on another small streak, scoring five and forcing Missouri to call its second timeout of the quarter with 4:18 to go to lead 30-23.
As the rest of the first half played out Missouri nudged its way back in, scoring nine points while Kentucky finished the last four minutes by putting up eight points of its own.
UK’s 22 second-quarter points outweighed Missouri’s 12, leading Kentucky into the break up 38-32.
Brooklynn Miles scored the first basket out of halftime, improving the Wildcats’ lead to eight, but moments later Kentucky’s leader in points, rebounds and blocks Ajae Petty suffered a lower-leg injury, resulting in Kentucky head coach Kyra Elzy to run the floor with five guards.
With Petty out of the game, Missouri went on a five-point run, resulting in a Kentucky timeout.
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Thankfully for Kentucky, Petty returned moments later, though she was quiet the rest of the third quarter, only putting up two points off of two free throws in the dying seconds.
Kentucky entered the fourth quarter with a 55-50 lead under its belt while Maddie Scherr led the way with 16 points throughout 30 minutes of play.
In the fourth-and-final quarter, Missouri scored the first basket, but Kentucky then threw up eight straight points in the first 2:18, forcing a Missouri timeout.
The two teams ran up the score to 71 and, with 1:15 to go, Russell sank a mid-range jump shot that gave Kentucky a two-point edge.
Kentucky would get fouled in its offensive zone and, through the power of late free-throws, the Wildcats sealed the game.
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“We knew it was going to be a dogfight today,” Missouri head coach Robin Pingeton said, “Kyra has a great team – great staff – very deceiving in regards to their (Kentucky’s) record.”
The Wildcats are back in action on Jan. 25 in Fayetteville, Arkansas, where they look to beat the Arkansas Razorbacks for the second time this season. The game can be viewed on SEC Network+ at 8 p.m. ET.
Gov. Mike Kehoe announced two gubernatorial appointments Friday to vacant positions in mid-Missouri counties.
Doug Miller, of California, Mo., was appointed as Moniteau County associate commissioner, district one.
Miller is a Moniteau County native who has worked as a middle school physical education and health teacher in the county for 27 years. Since 2021, he has worked as an office manager for Rackers Manufacturing and a bus driver for the California school district.
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Rodney Southard, of Rolla, was appointed as Maries County eastern district commissioner.
Southard is a fifth-generation Missouri farmer who previously worked as a support specialist for NEW Solutions and a surface water specialist for the U.S. Geological Survey. He is currently the chairman of MU Extension in Maries County.
Edge rusher turned out to be a strong position for the New Orleans Saints last season. Saints edge rushers combined for 28.5 sacks in 2025, with Chase Young and Cameron Jordan accounting for 20.5 sacks and 52 pressures. Jordan is currently a free agent and will be in his 16th season if he does return. This leads most believing that the team will pursue a young edge rusher in the draft. One option could be Missouri Tigers pass rusher Zion Young if this happens. Young is one of a handful of talented edge defenders that could still be on the board midway through the second day. Here is a closer look at the profile of perhaps one of the more underrated defenders in the 2026 NFL Draft class.
Zion Young bio
Position: Edge
College: Missouri Tigers
Height: 6-feet, 6 inches
Weight: 262 pounds
Out of Westlake High School in Georgia, Young initially committed to the Michigan State Spartans in the Big Ten. He’d see limited playing time during eight games in 2022 but still managed a sack and 2.5 tackles for loss among 21 total stops. Young was much more involved for the Spartans in 2023, recording 4.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. He’d enter the transfer portal after that season, landing with the Missouri Tigers in the SEC.
A stout Missouri defense was strengthened with Young’s addition. He contributed 2.5 sacks and 5.5 tackles for loss among his 42 total stops in 2024. Last season, Young solidified his attention from NFL scouts. He led the Tigers with 16.5 tackles for loss, second best in the SEC, in addition to 6.5 sacks. Those numbers earned him 1st Team All-SEC honors.
Strengths
Prototype size and length for both 3-4 and 4-3 fronts
Displays good power and leverage on contact
Strength to muscle through double-teams
Sets the edge extremely well against the run
Keeps blockers off–balance with combination of speed and power
Sets up inside moves with good arm extension
Weaknesses
Inconsistent pass rush production
Lacks refined counter moves
Not a great bend around the outside of tackles
Must do a better job at disengaging for pursuit
Questionable agility for a stand-up edge rusher
Zion Young 2026 draft outlook
Most predictions have Young being selected in the second or third round. He does have the power and upside to be a surprise first round selection for the right scheme. While his agility and athleticism creates some questions, there is little doubt that he has the raw power and tenacity to be a defensive contributor.
New Orleans is expected to add an edge rusher within the first two days of the draft. With an emphasis on an improved run defense, Young could be a welcomed addition to their system as a strong side defender. Young’s upside as a pass rusher would govern how much he plays early, but he would likely be an immediate part of any defensive rotation along the outside.
KSHB 41 reporter Lily O’Shea Becker covers Franklin and Douglas counties in Kansas. Share your story idea with Lily.
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Thousands showed up to Mill Creek Park on Saturday in Kansas City, Missouri, in a wave of protests across the country criticizing U.S. President Donald Trump and his administration.
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Thousands show up to protest current administration at KCMO ‘No Kings’ rally
Multiple protesters told KSHB 41 News they participated in the protest because they feel like it is the only way their voices can be heard.
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Sharon
“Congress is not working for us,” said Sharon, a protester at Mill Creek Park. “I have called my Congress people numerous times.”
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It was the third wave of ‘No Kings’ protests across the country since June 2025.
“I’ve been here for each of the ‘No Kings,’ and I’ll admit that I’m frustrated that I have to be back here again,” protester Carter Taylor said.
Taylor is a teacher for Kansas City Public Schools with AFT Local 691, and she said she showed up to represent her students.
“I hope that everyone here doesn’t just stay here today — that they donate to food banks, that they check in on their public schools,” Taylor said.
Will Shaw/KSHB
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Protesters marched on the Country Club Plaza in a wave of No Kings protests across the country on March 28, 2026.
Protesters held signs critiquing the current administration’s stances on tariffs, ongoing wars and immigration enforcement, among other things.
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Lonnie Beattle
“It means that people care,” protester Lonnie Beattle said. “People care about what’s going on in this country, and people are not happy with what’s going on in the country.”
