‘We will be in another dog fight.’ UK women face big test at No. 12 Mississippi State.
Here’s hoping the University of Kentucky women’s basketball team enjoyed a restful holiday break, because there’s no room for relaxation available during the early stages of its Southeastern Conference schedule.
Fresh off an impressive win over No. 10 Arkansas in their league opener on New Year’s Eve, the 13th-ranked Cats visit No. 12 Mississippi State on Sunday. UK was originally scheduled to face Tennessee in Knoxville on Sunday, but that game was postponed when the Volunteers paused team activities because of COVID-19 protocols.
UK All-American Rhyne Howard had her best game so far this season in the win over the Razorbacks, leading the Cats with 24 points and 10 rebounds. If form holds, Howard could be in line for another standout performance Sunday because the junior guard put up big numbers against Mississippi State in her first two college campaigns.
Last year during Kentucky’s 73-62 regular-season win over the Bulldogs in Lexington, Howard had 26 points and 10 rebounds. She scored 26 points to go along with seven boards in the Wildcats’ season-ending loss to Mississippi State in the SEC Tournament. She scored 15 in an 86-71 loss as a freshman the last time Kentucky (8-1) visited Starkville.
Last season, Mississippi State (6-1) went 27-6 overall and finished second in the SEC at 13-3. The Bulldogs lost to South Carolina, 76-62, in the SEC Tournament championship game. That loss turned out to be the curtain call for head coach Vic Schaefer, who left the Bulldogs after eight seasons to coach his hometown Texas Longhorns.
Nikki McCray-Penson, a two-time All-American at Tennessee and a three-time WNBA All-Star, was named Mississippi State’s head coach in April. McCray-Penson, 49, spent the previous three years as the head coach at Old Dominion and was voted Conference USA Coach of the Year last season.
Mississippi State is coming off a 69-62 win at Georgia on Thursday in which preseason first-team All-SEC forward Rickea Jackson scored 11 points on 5-for-13 shooting. The 6-foot-2 sophomore had 29 points and 10 rebounds in last season’s SEC Tournament win over the Cats.
Preseason second-team All-SEC forward Jessika Carter scored 13 points on 4-for-7 shooting in the Bulldogs’ win over Georgia. The 6-foot-5 junior is shooting 63.2 percent from the field, third-best in the SEC. Mississippi State’s potent one-two punch in the post should provide a good measuring stick for Kentucky’s retooled inside game, which has flourished with the addition of Dre’una Edwards and Olivia Owens.
“They’re well-coached … and they’re a tough team,” UK Coach Kyra Elzy said of Mississippi State after Thursday’s win. “It’s another ranked team, so we will be in another dog fight again on Sunday.”
‘Kudos to KeKe’
Edwards has quickly emerged as a key cog for the Wildcats. She’s the team’s second-leading scorer (14.2 points) and top rebounder (8.6). Owens has provided a big boost off the bench, chipping in 6.2 points and 3.8 rebounds per game.
Among those clearly benefiting from UK’s reinforcements in the paint is senior forward KeKe McKinney. The veteran had 10 points and seven rebounds against Arkansas and is averaging career bests with 6.5 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.
McKinney also flashed the leadership skills against the Razorbacks about which UK’s players and coaches have raved for years, intervening when junior guard Robyn Benton had a heated exchange with an official after a foul call during a tense stretch in the fourth quarter.
“It was in the heat of the moment,” McKinney said. “Robyn, she had a great stop. And to us it wasn’t a foul, but the referees called it …We were up and we didn’t need anything to stop us, so I kind of just grabbed her mouth to be like, ‘alright, just chill out, we got it, just calm down.’”
Elzy was not surprised McKinney took control of the situation.
“I loved it,” Elzy said. “We have great team chemistry. They are sisters, they love each other and they want to make sure that we’re holding each other accountable, which is one of our winning attributes. So, kudos to KeKe. She is the leader of our team … I’m glad that KeKe reined (Benton) back in and held her accountable.”
King working way back
Sophomore guard Emma King is working her way back into game shape after spending nearly three weeks away from the team because of COVID-19 safety protocols.
King traveled with the team to Chicago for its meeting with DePaul on Dec. 16 but was unavailable to play during the loss to the Blue Demons. She played four minutes during UK’s rout of Wofford on Dec. 19, logging one assist and one personal foul. She did not play against Arkansas.
“We’re happy to have Emma back,” Elzy said during a teleconference this week. “Any time a player has to sit out for COVID protocol, injury, whatever the case may be, it is an adjustment coming back. But when you have her work ethic, the motor that she has and the willingness to give you 100 percent in practice; she’ll get right back into rhythm, it won’t take her long.”
Sunday
No. 13 Kentucky at No. 12 Mississippi State
When: 1 p.m.
Records: UK 8-1 (1-0 SEC); Mississippi State 6-1 (1-0 SEC)
Series: UK leads 28-22
Last meeting: Mississippi State won 77-59 in the semifinals of the 2020 SEC Tournament
TV: ESPN2
Radio: WLAP AM-630
