Just before the start of what could be her final game in Memorial Coliseum, Makayla Epps walked to center court, kneeled down and kissed the interlocking “UK” logo.
At the end of the overtime game, in which No. 22 Kentucky upset No. 3 Mississippi State 78-75, she stood at midcourt with the microphone in her hand to address the crowd.
“Thank you to all the people who never gave up on us,” Epps said.
The guard and her fellow senior Evelyn Akhator gave themselves a proper send-off on their Senior Night.
Akhator scored 22 of her game-high 27 points in the fourth quarter and overtime and added 16 rebounds in the win.