KSR's takeaways from Kentucky WBB's SEC schedule

Kentucky’s home and away opponents in the SEC were revealed on Tuesday, and in typical KSR fashion, I have some takeaways regarding the cards that the Cats were dealt. So, let’s get this rant of an article started.

Home-and-home with Vandy? Could be worse

Last season, Kentucky’s home-and-home opponent in the SEC was Georgia. That felt like a blessing from the heavens after having to do home-and-homes with South Carolina for several years prior. Kentucky beat Georgia handily in both contests. In short, they got lucky by being paired with one of the worst teams in the conference.

However, that won’t be the case again this year.

Kentucky now has to do its home-and-home with Vanderbilt, who finished 22-11 last season. They return star sophomore Mikayla Blakes, who had two 50-point games last year as a freshman. She had 24 points, five rebounds and three steals in a 96-78 loss to Kentucky.

The Commodores will be much-improved, and this is certainly the team with the most upside they’ve had since Shea Ralph took over at the helm. They could be a top 15 team. To look at the bright side, drawing Vanderbilt is certainly better than South Carolina, Texas, LSU or Oklahoma.

Need to lose just 1-2 games at home

Kentucky will play Vanderbilt, Florida, Georgia, Ole Miss, Missouri, South Carolina, Texas A&M and Oklahoma at home. If they want to have the kind of year they want to have, losing just 1-2 games at home is pivotal.

Florida, Georgia, Missouri and Texas A&M (gulp) should all be wins. Then, you just have to find a way to go 3-1 or 2-2 against the rest of that bunch. With the road games that Kentucky has (plus the brutality and parity throughout the conference in general), you have to be able to defend home court.

Welcome to Historic Memorial Coliseum, Dawn Staley

Historic Memorial Coliseum got really rowdy for the marquee opponents last season — Louisville, Tennessee and LSU just to name a few. That should be the case again when Dawn Staley and the South Carolina Gamecocks come to town.

Their fanbase may be the best-traveling fanbase in the sport, so BBN, we gotta make sure to fill those seats for that game. They will be filled, we just gotta make sure the right fans are in the building that day.

I’m not ready to hear Rocky Top blaring in my ears

Oh, and Tennessee. Why does this game have to be on the road? Do I really have to sit amongst all that ugly orange? Do I really need to hear Rocky Top a million times over the course of a couple of hours?

I just hope Kentucky puts another ass-whooping on the Lady Vols like they did last season.

LSU and Texas on the road breeds for opportunity

LSU and Texas both handed Kentucky an L last season at home. Now, Kentucky has to make trips to Baton Rouge and Austin in order to make an attempt at getting sweet revenge.

Instead of chalking those games up as losses, we’re going to look at this optimistically. If Kentucky can pull one (or both) of these off, the NCAA Tournament resume and SEC Tournament seeding could both be looking great.

Plus, those postgame Rapid Reactions would be amazing. A man can hope.

Alabama could be like last year’s Ole Miss game

Remember the Ole Miss game? It was slow, sluggish and Kentucky went cold late and dropped a game that they should have won. Part of me is scared that this could happen again with Alabama on the road.

Alabama and Ole Miss are pretty similar talent-wise. Hopefully, the timing of that game is good. Hopefully, it isn’t a trap game of sorts (or right after Oklahoma’s Raegan Beers inevitably tries to give a WWE-style chokeslam to Clara Strack in the paint).

Alabama, Tennessee, Vandy and Ole Miss are swing games

When looking at potential season-defining games, Alabama, Tennessee, Ole Miss and the two games against Vanderbilt seem like the prime candidates. All of those teams are just as good as Kentucky.

If the Cats can manage to go 3-2 or better in those games, they should be in pretty good shape. A losing record could spell serious trouble.

It’s going to be really hard to go 11-5 in the SEC again

With all of that being said, going 11-5 in the SEC again is going to be difficult, but it is certainly doable. The path is there. Heck, Kentucky could do better than 11-5.

We won’t know what they (or any of these teams) are really made of until the conference slate of the season begins, but you won’t find me betting against Kenny Brooks and his squad.