Five things to watch as new-look UK women step into the unknown

So much of the talk last season was about how few people were on Kentucky’s bench, but this season’s talk probably will be about all of the new people.

A season ago — the first one after the mass exodus that saw more than a handful of players part ways with the program — UK found itself relying on a core group of players including seniors Makayla Epps and Evelyn Akhator.

This season, the Cats are back to a full complement of players, but nearly half of them have never played for Kentucky.

There are four freshmen, a junior-college transfer and another player, Ogechi Anyagaligbo, who sat out last season because of NCAA transfer rules, who all will need to blend with the veterans to form this season’s team.

So many of the story lines will center around the new faces, the changing style of play and the new emerging leaders for Kentucky as it tries to get to its ninth straight NCAA Tournament under Coach Matthew Mitchell in March.

“No one really knows much about us,” Mitchell said in October. “I look at it as there’s some unknowns, but I like where I think we can get with this group. They play hard, fast and we have some depth.”

Here are a few story lines to keep an eye on:

1. ‘Rise to the occasion’

When Epps and Akhator left for the WNBA last spring, Kentucky saw nearly 50 percent of its scoring, 42 percent of its rebounding and more than a third of its steals, assists and blocks leave, too.

So the Cats are left to rely on returning standouts, including junior guards Taylor Murray and Maci Morris, to up their outputs in every statistical category with help from other returners — forward Alyssa Rice, guards Makenzie Cann and Jaida Roper, among others.

Kentucky won’t necessarily have the star power of an Epps or an Akhator this season — although those seniors never really put up leading-NCAA-scorer type numbers — but it has a group of players who can score in bunches.

Pondering the roster, Kentucky’s coach predicted that as any one of 10 players could lead the Cats in scoring on a given night.

“I think somebody will rise to the occasion,” he said. “These kids can play.”

2. Finding leadership

Maybe Mitchell isn’t so worried about where the points and rebounds will come from. Those will happen organically, but he does have some concerns about vocal leadership.

It’s not a natural comfort zone for Morris and Murray.

Rice, who averaged less than five points and five rebounds a game last season, is the only four-year senior on the team and is a glue person as far as team chemistry. She’s trying to step into that role.

“We’re just trying to be the best leaders we can be,” she said recently. “A lot of us, the veterans have been here for a while and are taking that leadership role, set the tone, set the example of what the program is.”

Leadership could come from an unexpected place, perhaps freshman swing player KeKe McKinney.

“She might be one of the most vocal leaders on the team,” Morris said. “She don’t care to speak her mind, and I like that. She’s an aggressive leader. She’s really emerged as a leader in that freshman group and even on the team.”

3. Keeping a hand on the wheel

Kentucky didn’t exactly fill its schedule with cupcakes in the non-conference portion, and with so many new faces and young players, that might not have such a sweet ending.

Mitchell knows this and says it’s a season in which he will need to be hands-on.

“This is not something where we can just get out there and give them the keys to the car,” he said. “We’re going to have to do some driver’s ed, sit in the front seat with them while they’re doing it.”

The assistant coaching staff, who all returned after last season, will have to be mindful of the team’s confidence should it take some lumps early in the schedule, which includes a trip to likely top-five opponent Baylor (Nov. 30) and a rivalry game against likely top-10 foe Louisville (Dec. 17). Several other teams — Miami, Fla., and California — could be big challenges as well.

Conference play won’t get any easier, with the Cats set to play the NCAA Tournament champion and the runner-up (South Carolina and Mississippi State) twice each this year.

4. Tempo, tempo, tempo

With so few bodies on the Kentucky bench last season, Mitchell went away from his aggressive, up-tempo, pressing, “40 minutes of dread” style that helped the Cats become a regular in the national Top 25.

Don’t be surprised to see UK embrace that style again, given its depth at every position — there’s literally a backup at each spot on the floor and versatility to move players around — and speed and athleticism all around.

It might take a while for UK to become the pressing team it once was, especially with so many new faces getting comfortable making other teams uncomfortable, but look for Kentucky to be that team again by the time conference play rolls around.

5. Versatility is key

Kentucky’s recruiting class didn’t have any 6-foot-5 or 6-foot-6 players who can dominate the post, but the Cats have added four athletic players who are taller than 6 feet and have long wingspans.

It’s tough to know whether that will lead to UK being able to rebound against some of the bigger players in the conference, but look for the Cats to use what they have to their advantage.

“Speed and quickness and athleticism gives them the ability to be a really tough team to go against,” Mitchell said.

Playing with Rice this season down low this season will be Anyagaligbo, and freshmen Dorie Harrison and Tatyana Wyatt. All are capable of creating mismatches in the paint.

Much like John Calipari, his coaching counterpart across the hall, Mitchell is touting playing “positionless basketball” and selling it to this team.

He said: “We’ve brought in some versatility and some athleticism, and when you have some athletic bigs, they give you some options to mix some things up defensively.”

This story was originally published November 5, 2017 at 8:23 AM with the headline "Five things to watch as new-look UK women step into the unknown."