Who’s running point? Breaking down Kentucky’s candidates for floor general this season.
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2023-24 College Basketball Preview
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At SEC media day, reigning NCAA national champion LSU head coach Kim Mulkey responded to a question about if she’d noticed any trends in the sport, offensively or defensively.
“I’m still of the belief,” Mulkey said. “Give me a post, give me a shooter, give me a point guard and then I’ll fill in the other pieces. I don’t think that’s changed. The problem is, we don’t all get a post, a shooter and a point guard. So we have to take whatever we have and be very creative.”
In her fourth season at the helm of Kentucky women’s basketball, head coach Kyra Elzy will lead her third roster with less than the NCAA-allotted 15 scholarship spots. The Wildcats’ roster this year features just 12 players, with only 11 of them (senior forward Nyah Leveretter is still recovering from spring ACL surgery) likely ready to go by the time the opener rolls around.
As the calendar inches closer to UK’s Wednesday exhibition against Kentucky State, several questions remain regarding the Wildcats’ depth. More specifically in its backcourt. The program has pushed seniors Ajae Petty and Maddie Scherr as its likely stars this season, positioning them as the ones assuming primary post and sharpshooting responsibilities, respectively.
Following the exits of several guards after last season, including second-leading scorer Jada Walker (with whom Scherr split point guard duties last season) one has to wonder: Who will be the starting point guard?
On Oct. 9, Tennessee transfer Brooklynn Miles told the Herald-Leader that she, Scherr and sophomores Saniah Tyler and Cassidy Rowe were “interchanging” who ran point.
During her SEC media day availability, Elzy noted that the team — which has now strung together two surprising runs in the SEC Tournament — is looking to find a way to set a winning tone early. One of her answers to how this roster can manage that? The fact that it features more experienced guards.
“We would like to start that way as well,” Elzy said. “Obviously it’s a process. But I think having veteran guards this year will help us.”
Here’s a breakdown of each of Kentucky’s candidates for starting point guard, in order of perceived likelihood, and how they may fit as floor general.
Brooklynn Miles
Miles, the 2021 Kentucky Miss Basketball honoree, was the Wildcats’ lone transfer addition during the offseason. And as soon as she announced via social media that the 2022-23 season at Tennessee was her last, speculation surfaced regarding the Franklin County graduate’s possible fit as a replacement for Walker.
“It’s been great to have her back home, she’s a Kentucky girl,” Elzy said of the 5-foot-4 junior at SEC media day. “We recruited her on the front end, obviously it didn’t work out for us. But it’s been great having her back. Brooklynn brings that dawg and edge that we need. She’s very competitive, she’s a vocal leader, but she also understands what it means to put that Kentucky jersey on, being from the state of Kentucky.”
During two seasons with the Lady Vols, Miles averaged 1.8 points on 40 percent shooting and 2.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game over the course of 56 games. The Lady Vols reached back-to-back Sweet 16s in the NCAA Tournament during her time in Knoxville.
As a high school prospect, Miles played with AAU club Kentucky Premier — where she spent a lot of time running point — alongside now-teammates Scherr and Amiya Jenkins. During UK’s first practice of the season at the end of September, Miles brought up the ball with what appeared to be the second-teamers. During the open practice following media day on Oct. 9, Miles sat out due to a non-serious knee injury following an electric scooter incident.
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Maddie Scherr
“Maddie Scherr is a pro,” Elzy said at SEC media day. “You know, I think she came in a year ago and was baptized by fire. Was still trying to find her way, her voice on this team. Toward the end of last year, she found that, and this summer she’s really emerged as the leader on this team. You’re not gonna find anyone more competitive than her.”
Last year’s leader in rebounds, blocks and and assists, the 5-11 Scherr has been one of the faces of this team since she broke out as a starter for the Wildcats following a transfer from Oregon. As a junior with the Wildcats, Scherr averaged 11.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 2.1 steals and 1.1 blocks per game. Though the senior is a versatile guard who can play the point, as she demonstrated last season, Miles’ arrival could give her the opportunity to play off-ball, just as Miles’ presence on the AAU circuit did in high school.
Regardless of where she falls in the starting lineup, Scherr seems prepared to be the one to lead this roster.
Saniah Tyler
No healthy member of the UK roster got fewer minutes last season than Saniah Tyler, with a total of 25 minutes over the course of nine games played. However, when the first practice of the year came around, Tyler appeared to be taking first-team reps. Tyler was considered a four-star prospect by ESPN and saw plenty of success during her career as the point guard for Incarnate Word Academy in St. Louis, graduating with more than 1,100 career points and over 400 assists. One of just four returning members of last year’s freshman class, Tyler knows much is expected of her during her sophomore campaign.
At UK’s media day, Tyler told the Herald-Leader her goal is to prove people wrong and build upon what was started last season.
“This summer my whole aspect was to be in better shape than I was freshman year,” said Tyler, a 5-6 sophomore. “So that’s what I really made an effort to try to improve on.”
Cassidy Rowe
Like Tyler, Rowe didn’t see much of the floor during her freshman season: she averaged just 4.2 minutes across 13 games. However, the leadership council member and proud Kentucky native out of Shelby Valley High School told the Herald-Leader at UK’s media day she’s ready to work hard alongside her teammates this season with a newfound confidence.
“I feel like I have more confidence this year,” said Rowe, a 5-6 sophomore. “Last year, I was still adjusting to everything. Still trying to get out of the high school mindset. And this year, now that I feel like I have that year out of the way, it’s just like I have a different feel about myself. I have this confidence that I didn’t have last year.”
Important upcoming UK dates
Wednesday: Exhibition game vs. Kentucky State in Rupp Arena, 11 a.m.
Nov. 7: Regular season and home opener vs. East Tennessee State at Transylvania University, 7 p.m. (SEC Network Plus)
This story was originally published October 30, 2023 at 7:00 AM.
