Kentucky Women’s Basketball’s Way-Too-Early SEC Results – Away

Last week, we took a look at Kentucky Women’s Basketball’s home SEC schedule , and my opinions on how the ‘Cats will fare against their rivals. I have the ‘Cats going 6-2 against conference foes in Lexington. This season, Kentucky plays seven conference games away from Memorial Coliseum.

Playing in unfamiliar territory is difficult, but if there’s anything that Kentucky Women’s Basketball has shown us in the past few years, it’s resiliency. Granted, this basically is a completely new program, which gives me hope that the ‘Cats will come out on top in the majority of their away SEC games .

Florida – W

Last year, Kentucky just barely escaped the Florida Gators at home, 81-77. At the heart of the season, it can be easy to dismiss a win as just another game, but this was a very solid Florida team. Plus, Kentucky didn’t play that well. Ajae Petty had a (technically) less productive day than usual, with only 10 points and 11 rebounds. If it weren’t for Eniya Russell , who finished with 24 points, five rebounds, and three assists, this game would’ve been easily out of reach.

With that being said, Florida played a lot better as a whole. Unfortunately for the ‘Cats this season, the Gators retained the majority of their roster. Star guard Aliyah Matharu is sticking around for a fifth year, but Zippy Broughton used up her final year of eligibility this past season. Still, I don’t think Kentucky will have much trouble taking down the Gators, except for maybe Florida’s home-court advantage.

Ole Miss – W

Despite the fact that Ole Miss is ranked two spots above Kentucky in ESPN’s Way-Too-Early Top 25, I have a feeling the ‘Cats might come away with this one. Last season, Kentucky fell to the Rebels 75-45 in Lexington, and there’s no way Kenny Brooks would let that happen again.

So, the ‘Cats will be gunning for revenge in Oxford. Ole Miss Head Coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin hit the transfer portal with a bang this season, but then again, so did Brooks. However, Madison Scott and DeeDee Hagemann (Michigan State) will definitely give the ‘Cats a run for their money.

Missouri – W

Just like last season’s Florida game, Kentucky barely came out on top over the Missouri Tigers, 76-71. Unlike the Florida game though, the ‘Cats were more productive than usual, with four players in double digits and every player scoring at least a bucket. Missouri’s Hayley Frank gave Kentucky a run for its money, scoring 24 points. Fortunately, Frank used up her final season of eligibility, so the ‘Cats won’t have to deal with her again. Grace Slaughter, however, stuck around with the Tigers. The sophomore averaged 11.5 points and 3.4 rebounds her freshman season, and I have no doubt that the 6-foot-2 guard has stepped up her game.

Missouri picked up a former Kentucky player in the portal, Tionna Herron. While Herron never got the chance to play a game for the ‘Cats due to a successful open-heart surgery, she spent her sophomore season at Texas and averaged 1.5 points per game. Missouri nabbed a few more difference-makers in the portal, but I don’t think it will be enough for Kentucky to have any trouble taking home the win.

South Carolina – L

South Carolina has been a women’s basketball powerhouse for years and will be for plenty more years to come. The Gamecocks celebrated a perfect season last year and only lost ONE player (Kamilla Cardoso) to the WNBA Draft. Even Te-Hina Paopao is making a return for her final season to run it back one more time. I don’t think anyone would be shocked if South Carolina won it all for the second year in a row. Trust me, I’m confident in the ‘Cats, but I don’t think they’ll be able to overcome the Gamecocks without a home-court advantage.

Vanderbilt – L

The last time Kentucky and Vanderbilt met up, it wasn’t pretty. The ‘Cats fell 95-73 to the Commodores. While I think this year’s showdown will be more evenly matched, I don’t think Kentucky will be able to contain Iyana Moore. The now-senior dropped 37 points on the ‘Cats the last time they met. Plus, Vanderbilt picked up Leilani Kapinus , a redshirt senior who transferred in from Penn State. The guard averaged 11.5 points and 6.8 rebounds per game as a Nittany Lion. Vanderbilt hit a few home runs in the portal this offseason, including Jane Nwaba . The 5-foot-10 senior from Pepperdine averaged 10.7 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. Kentucky’s advantage over Nwaba, however, would be height, since the forward might not be able to stand her ground against the six-footers at Kentucky.

Texas A&M – W

The Texas A&M Aggies did almost a complete team rebuild this season. With six players transferring, A&M had to do some serious recruiting in the offseason. However, the Aggies managed to pick up a solid find in the portal. Amirah Abdur-Rahim, a 6-foot-3 senior from SMU, averaged 11.3 points and 6.4 rebounds as a Mustang. The also grabbed Janae Kent from LSU. The freshman averaged 1.6 points per game. Most of Texas A&M’s impactful players graduated or transferred out. So, I think Kentucky will come out on top with the win.

Oklahoma – L

Entering the SEC this year is the Oklahoma Sooners, a team that finished 23-10, with a 15-3 Big 12 record. The Sooners were 13-2 at home, which could mean a difficult matchup for the ‘Cats. While height isn’t their greatest strength, the Sooners know how to handle the ball. Plus, a couple of portal pickups will greatly strengthen this season’s roster. Oklahoma managed to grab Raegan Beers from Oregon State, who averaged 17.5 points and 10.3 rebounds per game as a sophomore. Beers played alongside Dominika Paurova , the latest transfer to Kentucky. This one could go either way, but I’m not sure if the ‘Cats will be able to overcome the Sooners at home.

The Verdict: 6-2 at home + 4-3 away = a 10-5 overall SEC record in year one of the Kenny Brooks era.

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