Kentucky WBB Picked to Finish Fourth in SEC

ZGeogheganKSR

The media members have made their predictions and they think the 2019-20 edition of the Kentucky Wildcats women’s basketball team will have a repeat of last season.

After finishing the 2018-19 season fourth in the SEC standings, the media picked the ‘Cats to end the upcoming year in the same position.

The top-4 contains the same teams from last season but in a slightly different order. South Carolina, Mississippi State, and Texas A&M are predicted to edge out Kentucky this season in that order (last year’s standings finished with MSU in first followed by USC, TA&M, then UK). Side note, all three of those teams have been ranked in the preseason top-10, according to Michelle Smith of NCAA.com. Texas A&M guard Chennedy Carter will be a National Player of the Year candidate.

. @SEC media have tabbed @howard_rhyne a Preseason All-SEC First Team selection and picked the Wildcats to finish 4th in the league.

🔗 https://t.co/HBnw8kepSH pic.twitter.com/stJJtrfNDJ

— Kentucky Women’s Basketball (@KentuckyWBB) October 15, 2019

After losing two invaluable seniors in Maci Morris and Taylor Murray, the Lady ‘Cats don’t expect to suffer a down year by any means. The team returns 62 percent of its scoring and 81 percent of its rebounding from last season. Three starters, Tatyana Wyatt, KeKe McKinney, and Preseason All-SEC First Team recipient Rhyne Howard, will once again gear up in the blue-and-white. Head coach Matthew Mitchell has rounded out this team by adding a star transfer at point guard in Chasity Patterson along with two other transfers in addition to the sharpshooting freshman Emma King.

The talent is there. The bench is there. The coaching is there. This team isn’t just expected to meet the criteria that last season’s squad set the bar for, they have aspirations for a 2020 SEC Championship.

While dueling against the trio of USC (twice), MSU, and TA&M will be the most difficult portion of the Wildcats schedule, it should prepare for them anything the NCAA Tournament can throw at them. Not to mention the matchup with Lousiville in mid-December against a Cardinals team that should also crack the top-25.

The Lady ‘Cats will be battle-tested and ready for the postseason by March. If they can stay healthy, this should be a team that is nationally ranked throughout the entire season.