LOUISVILLE, Ky. --- A'dia Mathies wouldn't let Kentucky's return to the NCAA Tournament be just a cameo.
Mathies, the Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Year, scored a career-high 32 points as the fourth-seeded Wildcats beat 13th-seeded Liberty 83-77 on Saturday in the opening round of the Women's NCAA Tournament at Freedom Hall.
SEC Player of the Year Victoria Dunlap scored 15 points and added eight rebounds while Keyla Snowden sparked the Wildcats (26-7) with 15 points -- all in the second half -- as Kentucky moved into the second round for the first time since 2006. The Wildcats will play fifth-seeded Michigan State on Monday.
Mathies, a Louisville native, chose to play for the Wildcats rather than the hometown Cardinals. Good move. While the Cardinals missed the tournament after making it to the NCAA championship game last year, the Wildcats have surged behind the play of their scintillating freshman.
She helped the Wildcats overcome a shaky start by turning up the pressure on the Flames (27-6). Mathies, who led the SEC in steals, led the charge as Kentucky forced 22 Liberty turnovers.
MICHIGAN STATE 72, BOWLING GREEN 62
In Louisville, Ky., Aisha Jefferson scored 17 points to lead fifth-seeded Michigan State past 12th-seeded Bowling Green in the opening round.
Jasmine Thomas and Brittney Thomas added 11 points each for the Spartans (23-9), who will face Kentucky in the second round on Monday night.
Two-time Mid-American Conference Player of the Year Lauren Prochaska led the Falcons (27-7) with 19 points but cooled off after a hot start. She made her first three shots but finished just 5 of 13 from the floor as Bowling Green struggled to contend with Michigan State's size advantage.
The Spartans outscored the Falcons 28-4 in the paint and forced 16 turnovers to pull away over the final 10 minutes.
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