Two things to know about every Kentucky women’s basketball player
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2020-21 College Basketball Preview
The Lexington Herald-Leader’s 2020-21 College Basketball Preview special section was published in the print edition on Sunday, Nov. 15. Click below to view all the stories from that section that have been published on Kentucky.com.
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Getting to know Kentucky’s players for 2020-21:
Robyn Benton
Vitals: The 5-foot-9 junior guard is from Conyers, Ga. Her major is pre-journalism.
The lowdown: Auburn transfer who was a five-star recruit ranked No. 17 overall in the class of 2017 by ESPN. She was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team after her first year with the Tigers. As a sophomore, Benton averaged 10.1 points in 20 games, hitting 27 three-pointers. Will sit out this season due to NCAA transfer rules then have two years of eligibility remaining.
Dre’una Edwards
Vitals: The 6-foot-2 sophomore forward is from Las Vegas. Her major is social work.
The lowdown: Coach Kyra Elzy should be stoked to add Edwards to the backcourt after the Utah transfer sat out last season due to NCAA transfer rules. Edwards excels on fast breaks and has shown the ability to score tough buckets inside. She was a bona fide star in her lone season with the Utes, averaging 11.6 points and 6.7 rebounds per game on her way to Pac-12 Freshman of the Year honors. Edwards should be adept at getting along with her teammates, as she grew up with nine siblings.
Blair Green
Vitals: The 6-foot junior guard is from Harlan County, Ky. Her major is kinesiology.
The lowdown: After an SEC All-Freshman Team campaign, Green’s three-point accuracy dipped from 36 percent to 31 percent last season, though her scoring average improved from 5.3 to 5.8 points per game. Has flashed the ability to get hot on offense, having twice scored a career-best 13 points last season. With a suddenly crowded backcourt, Green should face less pressure to score.
Rhyne Howard
Vitals: The 6-foot-2 junior guard is from Cleveland, Tenn. Her major is digital media and design.
The lowdown: After two historic seasons in Lexington, the scoring machine is making a strong case that she could go down as the best player in program history. After being unanimously voted National Freshman of the Year, Howard was named to the All-America First Team as a sophomore following a season in which she was the country’s second-leading scorer at 23.4 points per game. Despite the season being cut short because of the coronavirus pandemic, Howard made 84 three-pointers to set a single-season program record.
Treasure Hunt
Vitals: The 6-foot-1 freshman guard is from Chattanooga, Tenn. Her major is exploratory studies in agriculture.
The lowdown: A five-star player rated No. 28 in the 2020 class by ESPN, Hunt should have no problem gelling with her new teammates. She played in high school with UK transfer Jazmine Massengill and played club ball with Rhyne Howard. Her athleticism allows her to play multiple positions and her defensive tenacity should fit well within Kentucky’s high-pressure attack.
Emma King
Vitals: The 5-foot-10 sophomore guard is from Stanford, Ky. Her major is human health sciences.
The lowdown: Lifelong UK fan and graduate of Lincoln County High School chose the Cats over Louisville, Wisconsin and Florida. A three-star prospect in the 2019 class according to ESPN, King averaged 7.1 minutes per game as a college freshman. If King can improve from the perimeter, she could find a niche as a spot-up shooter in a crowded backcourt. King hit just four of 19 three-pointers last year after averaging 38 percent from behind the arc as a high school senior.
Nyah Leveretter
Vitals: The 6-foot-3 freshman forward is from Blythewood, S.C. Her major is pre-journalism.
The lowdown: A four-star prospect according to ESPN, Leveretter was born at Fort Campbell Military Base on the Kentucky-Tennessee border. Her size and athleticism will be welcome in a Kentucky frontcourt that’s suffered for several years from a lack of depth. A high school volleyball star who amassed more than 700 career kills, Leveretter chose UK over Florida and Clemson, among others.
Jazmine Massengill
Vitals: The 6-foot junior guard is from Chattanooga, Tenn. Her major is pre-communications.
The lowdown: Transfer from Tennessee averaged 6.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game as a sophomore starter for the Volunteers. A 2018 McDonald’s All-American who played AAU ball alongside Rhyne Howard, Massengill will sit out this season due to NCAA transfer rules..
KeKe McKinney
Vitals: The 6-foot-1 senior forward is from Knoxville, Tenn. Her major is social work.
The lowdown: Versatile athlete who has been an important post presence for the Wildcats in her first three seasons despite often being matched up against significantly bigger opponents. Outgoing personality and unselfish attitude help make her one of the most important leaders on the team. Averaged a career-best 6.5 points per game and 4.7 rebounds as a junior.
Olivia Owens
Vitals: The 6-foot-4 sophomore forward is from Albany, N.Y. Her major is U.S. culture and business practices.
The lowdown: Kentucky’s prospects for the upcoming season got a major boost when the transfer from Maryland was granted a waiver by the NCAA in October and cleared to play immediately. Rated a five-star prospect in the 2018 class by ESPN, Owens played 16 games as a freshman for the Terrapins before sitting out last season because of medical issues. She’ll add much-needed size and skill to the Wildcats’ frontcourt.
Chasity Patterson
Vitals: The 5-foot-5 senior guard is from Houston, Texas. Her major is media arts and studies.
The lowdown: After becoming eligible in the second semester last year, Patterson added a dangerous new element to the mix as a spark plug off the bench. Her ferocious defense and ability to score in clutch moments were so transformative that despite playing less than half a season she was voted SEC Sixth Player of the Year by league coaches.
Kameron Roach
Vitals: The 5-foot-6 junior guard is from Hopkins, S.C. Her major is kinesiology and health promotion.
The lowdown: Physical guard returns to the backcourt rotation after missing last season and redshirting while recovering from a torn Achilles suffered near the end of her sophomore campaign. Averaged 4.2 minutes off the bench in 13 games before her injury. Roach was a 2017 McDonald’s All-American nominee who was rated a three-star prospect out of high school by ESPN.
Erin Toller
Vitals: The 5-foot-7 guard is from Louisville. Her major is psychology.
The lowdown: Sacred Heart graduate who chose the Wildcats over Tennessee and Xavier, among others, and was described by ESPN as a “crafty floor-leader with a scorer’s mentality.” She’s flashed the ability to successfully attack the rim and should provide the UK backcourt depth and versatility.
Tatyana Wyatt
Vitals: The 6-foot-2 senior forward is from Columbus, Ga. Her major is psychology.
The lowdown: A steady presence down low in her first three seasons, the outgoing veteran whom teammates affectionately call “Tot” has averaged 6.3 points and 3.7 rebounds per game for her career. She should be a great role model for UK’s incoming post reinforcements.
This story was originally published November 18, 2020 at 12:56 PM.
