Top storylines to watch as Kentucky Women’s Basketball season begins
Basketball is officially back in session, and it feels oh-so-good. With Kentucky Women’s Basketball having their first official practice of the season on Thursday, big blue excitement is in the air. As if BBN needed any more hype, the ‘Cats dropped a highlight tape to show off some of their first-day antics.
Watching this video, I felt a bit like Sherlock Holmes. With so many potential stories this season, each clip served as another clue to figuring this team out. Although it isn’t much to go off, here are a few of the top storylines to watch for this upcoming season.
Who picks up Chasity Patterson’s slack?
If you have somehow forgotten the ‘Cats lost their second-leading scorer over the offseason, I envy you. Stud point guard Chasity Patterson was Rhyne Howard’s right-hand woman last year in more ways than one.
Patterson was the only player, other than Howard, on the 2020-2021 ‘Cats who averaged double-digit scoring with 12 points per game. Furthermore, Patterson averaged the second-most assists per game, once again trailing only Howard.
So although the ‘Cats may have their dynamite returning in Howard, they’re seemingly missing their fuse. That is, of course, only if nobody steps into Patterson’s shoes this upcoming season. Thankfully for Kentucky fans, this year’s squad has no shortage of potential candidates to fill Patterson’s absence.
Jazmine Massengill, for one, could be Howard’s perfect backcourt duo. The senior guard has never been an elite scorer, but often this issue stems from a lack of a scoring mindset–Massengill is a pass-first point guard. Nevertheless, she has proven serious offensive ability by putting up double-digit numbers versus intense competition such as Tennessee and Iowa.
Senior Robyn Benton is another apt filler for the hole left by Patterson. While Benton may not have the defense and passing ability Massengill possesses, she has enough scoring skill to make up for it and then some.
The transfer from Auburn struggled to find her footing last year but showed promising glimpses of potential. Benton has been a consistent player that Kyra Elzy has raved about offensively. No matter who ends up filling Patterson’s shoes for the upcoming season, BBN should be satisfied with the fit.
Who will lead the Kentucky Women’s Basketball frontcourt?
You thought this year’s backcourt was a toss up? Buckle-up.
Kentucky’s frontcourt last season was a constantly evolving issue, and it’s seemingly only gotten more confusing. During the 2020-2021 season, the Wildcats started three different centers throughout different chunks of the year: Dre’ Una Edwards, Olivia Owens and Tatyana Wyatt.
Though Wyatt is no longer with the blue and white (and forward KeKe McKinney transferred to Charlotte), Edwards and Owens are more than ready to compete for their ‘Cats. Not to mention, sophomore Treasure Hunt, who came alive at the end of last season, is back after an entire offseason of improving her craft.
Plus — and I hate to make this even more difficult, but I have no choice — sophomore Nyah Leveretter will likely make a legitimate impact this season. So, what in the world is Elzy supposed to do?
To begin, having too many talented players is certainly preferrable over not having enough. Nonetheless, these high quality ingredients aren’t worth much if they’re used in a rushed recipe.
With this being said, Elzy should look to test out her frontcourt early this season with plenty of trial-and-error. Each of her bigs have unique skills that work best in different situations. It may take some time to find the right balance, but everything the ‘Cats need for a dominant frontcourt is already on the team.
How good can Rhyne Howard really be?
At this point, it’s honestly astounding Howard is still getting better each year. Be that as it may, it’s equally thrilling.
The reigning SEC Player of the Year is coming back hungry for more than just personal awards–postseason success. More importantly, she’s doing it for BBN. When asked about what keeps her motivated, Howard was clear.
“I really just think about all the people that look up to me. I don’t want to let anybody down,” Howard said. “I hate letting my teammates down, my coaches down, the fans.”
Seriously, how can you not want to watch this ‘Cat? After Howard averaged 20.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game last season, any improvement on those numbers would be nothing short of legendary. Yet, the nation expects nothing less from Howard.
With endless possibilities for the upcoming Kentucky Women’s Basketball season, there’s endless excitement. If you’re not watching out of love of the game or loyalty to the ‘Cats, simply watch for the stories of the people. A group like this doesn’t come along often. Though there may be some highs, lows and bumps along the way, fans can rest assured: it’ll be worth the ride.
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