ct for the NFL to play in Mexico City, and the league would like it to become an annual event.In the same way that we built in London an annual game, I would like to think we ca

LEXINGTON, Ky. George Parros Jersey . - Sophomore guard Taylor Murray scored 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds as the Kentucky womens basketball team beat Middle Tennessee 61-48 on Friday night in non-conference action at Memorial Coliseum.Senior Evelyn Akhator notched her sixth double-double of the season and the 19th of her career, scoring 13 points and grabbing 12 rebounds in the contest. Kentuckys leading scorer on the season, senior Makayla Epps, was saddled with foul trouble for most of the first half, but was able to score 13 points in the contest, with 11 of those coming after halftime.Kentucky (7-2) dominated the rebounding battle, grabbing 44 compared to Middle Tennessees 22. The Wildcats had 18 offensive rebounds and were able to turn those into 11 points. Kentucky also dominated inside, scoring 34 points in the paint to 20 for Middle Tennessee.Kentucky scored the first four points of the game on a layup by Epps and a jumper by Murray. But Middle Tennessee answered with an 8-1 run to lead 8-5. The Blue Raiders would maintain a similar lead through most of the first period, leading 18-15 at the end of the frame. Murray had eight of Kentuckys 15 points in the quarter, as the Wildcats shot 50 percent (six of 12) from the field. However, Kentucky turned the ball over seven times in the games first 10 minutes, leading to eight Middle Tennessee points.Middle Tennessee (2-4) started the second quarter on a 5-1 run to extend its lead to 23-16. But Kentucky had a big answer, scoring 11 in a row to take a 27-23 advantage. Middle Tennessee rallied to tie the game at 31-31 before Kentucky got baskets from Jaida Roper and Maci Morris to close the half leading 35-31. Akhator had seven points in the quarter for Kentucky and Roper had five. Roper finished the game with a career-high seven points.Kentucky played almost the entire second quarter without its leading scorer, as Epps picked up her second foul early in the period and went to the bench, having scored just two points in the first half.The third quarter started with a Murray jumper and an Epps layup and free throw, extending Kentuckys lead to 40-31. Kentucky would extend its lead with a 7-2 run at the end of the period, as the Wildcats took a 51-41 lead into the final frame. Epps had five points in the quarter, Murray had four and Akhator had three points and six rebounds during the period.Both teams came out cold in the fourth quarter, with Kentucky making just one of its first seven shots from the floor while Middle Tennessee missed its first six attempts in the frame. In fact, over the first 7:13 of the final period, Middle Tennessee had scored just three points, all on free throws, and Kentuckys four points came on layups by Epps and Alyssa Rice. Middle Tennessee would go more than eight minutes without a field goal in the fourth quarter. The Blue Raiders finished the period making just one of 11 shots (9.1 percent) from the floor.Kentuckys second-half defense was stellar, as the Wildcats held Middle Tennessee to five of 23 field goals in the half, and no three-pointers, after the Blue Raiders hit six threes in the first 20 minutes.Kentucky did not hit a three-pointer in a game for the first time since November 27, 2014 when the Wildcats lost to Illinois in the Paradise Jam in the Virgin Islands.Kentucky returns to action on Sunday, facing Arizona State at Rupp Arena. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. ET and the game can be seen on the SEC Network. Stu Grimson Jersey . LOUIS -- Lance Lynn was one of the more enthusiastic participants as the St. Hampus Lindholm Jersey . Now, with Game 6 set for Fenway Park and an 8:07 p.m. ET first pitch, the Detroit Tigers face the unenviable task of having to beat the Boston Red Sox twice, on the road, to advance to the World Series. https://www.cheapducks.com/497c-samuel-p...rsey-ducks.html .com) - The Calgary Flames aim to bounce back from their first regulation home loss of the campaign on Friday night when they host a Detroit Red Wings club that they swept in three meetings a season ago. MEXICO CITY -- As much as possible, the Oakland Raiders and Houston Texans want to treat their trip to Mexico City as business as usual.But theres no hiding the fact that this game will be unlike any other road trip.Players have been given security warnings. The teams are taking precautions about how their food is prepared. And both teams are figuring out how to deal with the thin air 7,380 feet above sea level when the Texans (6-3) take on the Raiders (7-2) on Monday night at Azteca Stadium.Players have run extra laps, spent more time on the bike, and a few have even used elevation masks as part of their training for the game.Its going to be tough, Raiders offensive lineman Donald Penn said. Im not going to sugarcoat it. Whenever that second wind hits, then youre good. You hope that second wind hits early, then youre really good. When my second wind hits, its usually early in the first quarter, second quarter maybe.Both teams have some experience with playing at altitude, with the Texans traveling to Mile High in Denver last month and the Raiders making annual trips there. Mexico City is more than 2,000 feet higher than Denver but both teams are in the same boat.Were on an equal playing field, Texans offensive lineman Duane Brown said. No ones more used to the altitude than the other team, so were all going out there with the same struggle, if there will be a struggle.The thin air also could impact how the game is played, with throws and kicks both able to travel longer distances. Three of the five longest field goals in NFL history have come at altitude in Denver, including Matt Praters record 64-yarder for the Broncos in 2013.In Denver, I can see anywhere from 6 to 7 yards difference in ball carry, just over my past experience there, Texans punter Shane Lechler said. I know the altitude here in Mexico City is going to be a little higher, but you still have to hit a good ball. Its not like every single time its going to be a huge difference.The altitude is only one factor that will make the second regular-season game ever in Mexico different from a typical one in the NFL.The Mexican fans are known for their enthusiasm at soccer games and the players expect nothing less Monday night, with perhaps more cheers than usual for kicks and punts from a crowd used to a different kind of football.I like to watch soccer, so Im wondering is it going to be like a soccer atmosphere where they have the horns playing and stuff like that, Texans cornerback A.J. Bouyee said. Patrick Eaves Jersey. Im already visualizing everything on what its going to be like. At the end of the day, you just got to expect the unexpected.The NFL announced the matchup for the game back in February and has spent lots of time planning for the week to make it as smooth as possible for the players and teams.Mark Waller, the NFLs executive vice president of international, said the league gave the teams advice on when to arrive to limit the effects of the elevation; made sure there were English speaking drivers for the players; and worked with the chefs at the team hotels to ensure the players could get their usual meals.Our goal in any game is to not have any reason why the teams would be disrupted from performing at their best in any market in any game, Waller said.As part of the 50th anniversary celebration, Azteca Stadium has undergone major renovations since the NFL last played a regular-season game there in 2005. Capacity was reduced from more than 100,000 to 84,000, with premium seating added, improved communication capability and new locker rooms that can handle the larger roster for football teams.This game is the first of a three-year contract for the NFL to play in Mexico City, and the league would like it to become an annual event.In the same way that we built in London an annual game, I would like to think we can do the same thing there and become part of the sporting calendar, Waller said. We want to become known as one of the great sporting events in the city in any given year.Waller said he wasnt sure whether it would be better to have one team become the regular host of the games like Jacksonville does in London or to rotate teams. The Raiders would be a prime candidate to give up a home game to come to Mexico City because of their uncertain stadium situation -- they seek a possible move to Las Vegas -- and their popularity in Mexico.It was impressive to see all the Raiders fans down there and see how excited they were for the game, said Raiders running back Taiwan Jones, who made two offseason trips south of the border to help promote the game. One thing I heard from the locals was how crazy an environment its going to be. From what I hear, Its going to be a party.---AP Sports Writer Kristie Rieken contributed to this report---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '