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SEC Preview: South Carolina, Mississippi State, Tennessee and much more

By Blake DuDonis

KNOXVILLE, TN - JANUARY 16: Tennessee Lady Volunteers head coach Holly Warlick is interviewed by former Lady Vol, now ESPN commentator, Kara Lawson after a game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Tennessee Lady Volunteers on January 16, 2017, at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, TN. Tennessee upset the Irish 71-69. (Photo by Bryan Lynn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - JANUARY 16: Tennessee Lady Volunteers head coach Holly Warlick is interviewed by former Lady Vol, now ESPN commentator, Kara Lawson after a game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Tennessee Lady Volunteers on January 16, 2017, at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, TN. Tennessee upset the Irish 71-69. (Photo by Bryan Lynn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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Kentucky Wildcats
Predicted finish: 8th  

Key returners (last season’s stats)
G- Taylor Murray- 5’6 JR- 12.2 PPG, 46%FG, 22% 3pt, 4.9 RPG, 3.9 APG, 2 SPG, 34 MPG
G- Maci Morris- 6’0, FR- 11.8 PPG, 35% FG, 32% 3pt, 33 MPG

Biggest losses (last season’s stats)
G- Makayla Epps, 5’10- 17.7 PPG, 46%FG, 36% 3pt, 4.5 RPG, 3.6 APG, 36 MPG, First Team All-SEC
F- Evelyn Akhator, 6’3- 15.9 PPG, 57%FG, 10.8 RPG, 1.4 SPG, 32 MPG, First Team All-SEC

Newcomers
F- Keke McKinney, 6’1, (Knoxville, TN), FR- Ranked #87 in 2017 class, #14 small forward
G- Kameron Roach, 5’6, (Hopkins, SC), FR- Ranked #121 in 2017 class, #31 point guard
C- Dorie Harrison, 6’3, (Nashville, TN), FR- Ranked #169 in 2017 class, #29 center
F- Ogechi Anyagaligbo, 6’1, (Stony Brook), JR- America East Rookie of the Year in 2015-16 for Stony Brook, averaged 10.1 PPG, 9.0 RPG
G- Amanda Paschal, 5’7, (Gulf Coast State College), JR- 11.2 PPG at Gulf Coast State, missed last year with a knee injury
F- Tatyana Wyatt, 6’2, (Columbus, GA), FR

Head Coach- Matthew Mitchell, 11th season
Two summers ago, questions were swirling around the Kentucky women’s basketball program as nine players transferred out of the program, in addition to all three assistants leaving as well. Say what you will, but Matthew Mitchell found a way to steady the boat while still being successful on the court. Mitchell is entering his 11th season at Kentucky and has won 20+ games each of the last eight seasons. The team has also been in the NCAA tournament each of the last eight seasons, making it to the Elite Eight three times. Kentucky also won the SEC in 2011-12 with a 13-3 mark. Since the 2009-10 season, Kentucky has come in fourth place or high in the SEC every single season. Mitchell also may have a claim to being the best dancer in the league as well. The Wildcats graduated two of the best players in recent history this summer so Mitchell will have a difficult challenge this season, but there is no evidence to suggest he won’t be able to handle it.

Key non-conference games
Nov. 30- @ Baylor
Dec. 8- @ Florida Gulf Coast
Dec. 10- @ Miami (FL)
Dec. 17- Louisville
Dec. 21- California
Dec. 28- @ Middle Tennessee State

Outlook
Phew, would you look at that non-conference slate again? Safe to say Kentucky will find out what it has in the fold this season before conference play begins with that schedule. Without a doubt the absence of Makayla Epps and Evelyn Akhator, both drafted into the WNBA, will be felt. Epps was the type of player who could go get you a shot when you needed one the most and Akhator’s athleticism left you with your mouth open at least twice a game. The cupboard is not completely bare for the Wildcats though. Taylor Murray quietly had a really good sophomore season while Maci Morris continued to show improvement. Morris, more of a three-point shooting threat, will need to prove she can score off of her own intuition and not just Epps and Murray driving then kicking to her. If she can do that, and Murray continues on her upward trajectory, the loss of the two impactful seniors can at least be diminished. The zone defense the Wildcats deployed last season will likely be called upon again to slow teams down and keep things close. Just 5-6 on the road last year, this young team will have to travel better if they want to make the tournament for a ninth straight season.

Best Case Scenario- Morris and Murray make steps forward, some newcomers fill the roles that the others had been playing, the defense keeps things close and Kentucky punches their ticket with another 4th place finish

Worst Case Scenario- The absence of Epps and Akhator is too much to handle, Murray and Morris struggle as the go-to options, road woes continue as team limps to 9th place

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