PREVIEW: Kentucky WBB slated for rematch with Oklahoma in SEC Tournament Quarterfinals

Kentucky will face Oklahoma in the SEC Tournament Quarterfinals after the Sooners defeated the Georgia Lady Bulldogs 70-52 on Thursday.

Read up on the Sooners before the game.

Bio Blast

The last time the Wildcats and Sooners met was back in early February. The second, to be exact, in Norman, Oklahoma. There, Kentucky left with yet another Quad 1 victory, a 95-86 win with 43 of those points coming from Georgia Amoore. It’s probably safe to assume that Amoore won’t have that kind of masterclass game against the Sooners again, but that’s not to say the ‘Cats can’t be victorious once again.

Besides Amoore, only two Wildcats scored double-digits, Clara Strack (19) and Dazia Lawrence (14). So while the Sooners couldn’t defend Amoore, they played practically impeccable defense on everyone else. The best part about playing a team more than once is that you learn from your mistakes. There’s no doubt that Kenny Brooks has been making adjustments to ensure that Amoore doesn’t have to score 43 points to come out with a win. While that would be so fun to see again, it’s not guaranteed. Oklahoma is a very good team on both sides of the court.

Oklahoma’s 86 points came largely thanks to 27 from Sahara Williams. If the ‘Cats can keep her (and Raegan Beers) to less than 20, it’s highly probable that Kentucky will move on to the semifinals. Thankfully, it seems as though Kentucky’s defense has improved over the last few weeks. Where Kentucky got beat though, was in the paint. Oklahoma scored 38 paint points compared to Kentucky’s 22. Hopefully Strack, Clara Silva, Amelia Hassett, and Teonni Key will step up big during Friday’s matchup.

What helped Kentucky the most (besides Amoore’s 43 points), was coming out of the gates hot. The ‘Cats scored 30 points in the first quarter alone, giving them the 11 point edge over the Sooners after 10 minutes. While Oklahoma outscored Kentucky in the fourth quarter, it wasn’t enough to take the lead and win the game. Plus, Oklahoma played a tough game against Georgia on Thursday, so the ‘Cats might have fatigue on their side.

Scouting Report

In the meeting between Kentucky and Oklahoma on Feb. 2, it wasn’t All-SEC First Team selection Raegan Beers who was dominate against the Cats, but guard Sahara Williams. She averages 10.9 points per game, but that night, she posted 27 on 8-19 shooting from the field.

Of course, Beers still more than held her own, putting up 18 points and 10 rebounds. She went 0-2 from three-point range that game, but she makes 42.9% of her shots from deep. Clara Strack and company will certainly have their hands full. There’s also guard Payton Verhulst, who averages 15.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game, shooting 35.3% from deep.

For Kentucky to beat Oklahoma, they’ll have to force some turnovers and capitalize on opportunities in transition. The Cats forced 18 of them in Norman, recording 25 points off of those turnovers. Oklahoma likes to play fast-paced, and if Kentucky can create havoc defensively and convert on fastbreaks, then they should be in good shape to come out on top to survive and advance.

Oklahoma Sooners Roster

Projected Kentucky Starters

#3 – Georgia Amoore

5-FOOT-6 – GUARD – GRADUATE STUDENT

18.8 PPG – 6.9 APG – 2.1 RPG

#7 – Teonni Key

6-FOOT-4 – FORWARD – JUNIOR

11.7 PPG – 8.2 RPG – 1.7 BPG

#10 – Dazia Lawrence

5-FOOT-8 – GUARD – REDSHIRT SENIOR

12.8 PPG – 2.3 RPG – 2.1 APG

#13 – Clara Strack

6-FOOT-5 – CENTER – SOPHOMORE

15.3 PPG – 9.5 RPG – 2.7 APG

#32 – Amelia Hassett

6-FOOT-3 – FORWARD – JUNIOR

8.9 PPG – 8.0 RPG – 2.0 APG

Initial Availability Report

Starting this season in conference play, SEC teams are required to release an availability report, listing players and their injury statuses for their upcoming game.

Here is the initial report for Kentucky-Oklahoma:

The final availability report will be available closer to game time.

**Note: Kentucky’s Dominika Paurová is not listed as “Out” because she is completely exempt from the season due to an ACL tear she suffered in the offseason. Jordan Obi, who also suffered a lower leg injury in the summer, may return to the hardwood this season, hence why her name appears on the availability report.**

How to Watch/Listen

Place	Tipoff	TV	Radio	Live Stats
Bon Secours Wellness Arena (Greenville, SC)	2:30 p.m. ET	ESPN (Ryan Ruocco, Rebecca Lobo and Holly Rowe)	630 WLAP, 790 WKRD (Darren Headrick)	StatBroadcast

Follow Along with KSR’s LIVE BLOG

Unable to watch the game? Don’t worry — we’ll be providing real-time updates throughout to keep you informed on the action. Follow along with KSR’s LIVE BLOG, which will get rolling on the website an hour before the game starts.

Join The Discussion on KSBoard

Want to interact with the KSR crew during tonight’s game? Consider joining the conversation on KSBoard, where we’ll be sharing live updates while also answering questions and providing real-time analysis (and probably complaining about the officiating).