Get to know the 2017-18 Kentucky women’s basketball team

Ogechi Anyagaligbo

Vitals: The 6-foot-1 junior forward is from Miami. Her major is biology.

The lowdown: Stony Brook transfer and America East Conference Rookie of the Year (10.1 points, nine rebounds a game) sat out last season per NCAA transfer rules. Left-handed post player is a physical presence around the basket, scoring and rebounding, but needs to improve conditioning and mental toughness to become serious impact player.

Makenzie Cann

Vitals: The 6-foot-1 senior guard is a transfer from Cincinnati from Lawrenceburg, Ky. (Anderson County). Her major is integrated strategic communications.

The lowdown: After playing out of position for much of last season, Cann moves back to her more natural spot as a small forward where she could expand on her made three-pointers (45 last season). Cann’s versatility and ability to score in a multitude of ways should help UK significantly.

LaShae Halsel

Vitals: The 6-foot junior forward is from Bowling Green (Warren Central). Her major is business.

The lowdown: Joined team during open tryouts a year ago and helps with high energy and positive attitude. A physical walk-on, who saw action in seven games last season, has an impressive basketball IQ and adds depth inside for Kentucky.

Jessica Hardin

Vitals: The 5-foot-8 senior guard is from Monticello, Ky. (Wayne County). Her major is communications.

The lowdown: Former Bellarmine player, who walked on in 2016 and earned a scholarship, played in 16 games for UK last season before suffering a concussion that cost her most of the conference season. A strong shooter, who led UK in three-point field goal percentage (.364), is instant energy and hustle.

Dorie Harrison

Vitals: The 6-foot-3 freshman center is from Nashville. Her major is marketing.

The lowdown: If coaches can get Harrison to not be in such a hurry, she’s going to have an amazing freshman season. “Her ceiling is limitless because of her combination of speed, strength and size,” Coach Matthew Mitchell said of the gifted rebounder and sturdy post player, who will make plays on both ends of the floor.

KeKe McKinney

Vitals: The 6-foot-1 freshman forward is from Knoxville. Her major is exploratory studies.

The lowdown: A gifted shooter and impressive all-around athlete that can play multiple positions is making the move from post player to small forward, which means she’s learning how to more effectively play defense, especially on the perimeter. Smart, driven, hyper-competitive player, whom her coach called “a natural winner.”

Maci Morris

Vitals: The 6-foot junior guard is from Pineville, Ky. (Bell County). Her major is kinesiology.

The lowdown: Started in all 33 games and was fourth on the team last season in scoring (11.8 ppg) and made three-pointers with 53. Perhaps the team’s hardest worker, Morris is playing the best basketball of her career on both ends of the floor, her coach said. The guard will be leaned on more heavily to be a leader, too.

Taylor Murray

Vitals: The 5-foot-6 junior guard is from Odenton, Md. Her major is pre-public health.

The lowdown: One of the speediest guards in the country, Murray had a breakout season last year, finishing third for UK in scoring (12.2 ppg), second in rebounds (4.9 per game) and first in steals (61). Her 118 assists were tied for most on the team. Her ability to dominate in transition should help UK as it goes back to an up-tempo, aggressive style.

Amanda Paschal

Vitals: The 5-foot-7 junior guard is from Brooklyn, N.Y. Her major is psychology.

The lowdown: A junior-college national champion with an exceptional basketball IQ has great court vision and will impress fans with her passing ability, Mitchell said. “She can go make some plays that will surprise you.” Not the fastest or most athletic player on the court, but the left-hander works hard and has a good attitude.

Paige Poffenberger

Vitals: The 5-foot-8 sophomore guard is from Morgantown, W.Va. Her major is biology.

The lowdown: A National Merit Scholar who joined Kentucky during open tryouts in 2016 could become a contributor this season if she gets her ball-handling down, Mitchell said of the three-time high school state champion. Her defensive intensity, toughness and smarts make her an asset on the bench and the floor.

Alyssa Rice

Vitals: The 6-foot-3 senior center is from Reynoldsburg, Ohio. Her major is finance.

The lowdown: A glue player and natural leader for UK off the court also could become a much bigger contributor on the court this season. “I really believe Alyssa will surprise people,” he said of the senior who averaged 4.2 points and 4.5 rebounds last season. “The shots she was missing in the first three years, she’s making all of them now.”

Kameron Roach

Vitals: The 5-foot-6 freshman point guard is from Hopkins, S.C. Her major is kinesiology.

The lowdown: Great quickness, speed and balance with power will make her an asset for the Cats in the future. Plays with a purpose on the defensive end of the floor, but is still gaining confidence. “She can come in and keep the pace going really high,” Mitchell said. “Shoots ball pretty well, gets back on defense. Quick, fast and athletic.”

Jaida Roper

Vitals: The 5-foot-6 sophomore guard is from Memphis. Her major is undergraduate studies.

The lowdown: Player who will “surprise everybody” with her offseason growth, her coach predicted. Perhaps the team’s best passer with great court vision, she will try to build on her 2.6 points and 1.2 assists per game. Roper is making threes much more consistently, too. “She’s overall stronger, faster, quicker and more experienced,” Mitchell said. “You’ll hear from her.”

Tatyana Wyatt

Vitals: The 6-foot-2 freshman forward is from Columbus, Ga. Her major is biology.

The lowdown: Explosive athlete, who won both a volleyball and basketball state championship in high school, is the most likely newcomer to be in the starting lineup quickly. A stretch four, who can make shots from the outside and be a physical presence around the basket, is still learning to play hard every play, Mitchell said.

This story was originally published November 6, 2017 at 12:59 PM with the headline "Get to know the 2017-18 Kentucky women’s basketball team."