2019-20 SEC women’s basketball preview: Title should come down to South Carolina and Texas A&M

NASHVILLE, TN - MARCH 03: South Carolina Gamecocks guard Tyasha Harris (52) dribbles the ball past Georgia Bulldogs forward Caliya Robinson (4) during the first period between the South Carolina Gamecocks and the Georgia Bulldogs in the SEC Women's Tournament on March 3, 2018, at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, TN. (Photo by Steve Roberts/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN - MARCH 03: South Carolina Gamecocks guard Tyasha Harris (52) dribbles the ball past Georgia Bulldogs forward Caliya Robinson (4) during the first period between the South Carolina Gamecocks and the Georgia Bulldogs in the SEC Women's Tournament on March 3, 2018, at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, TN. (Photo by Steve Roberts/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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RALEIGH, NC – MARCH 23: Kentucky Wildcats guard Rhyne Howard (10) shoots the 3-pointer during the 2019 Div 1 Women’s Championship – First Round college basketball game between the Princeton Tigers and the Kentucky Wildcats on March 23, 2019, at Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh, NC. (Photo by Michael Berg/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
RALEIGH, NC – MARCH 23: Kentucky Wildcats guard Rhyne Howard (10) shoots the 3-pointer during the 2019 Div 1 Women’s Championship – First Round college basketball game between the Princeton Tigers and the Kentucky Wildcats on March 23, 2019, at Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh, NC. (Photo by Michael Berg/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Key Non-Conference Matchups:

Nov. 16 at Virginia

Dec. 15 vs. Louisville

Dec. 21 at Cal

Key Returners

Rhyne Howard (SEC Freshman of the Year) – 16.4 PPG, 6.6 RPG

KeKe McKinney – 4.3 PPG, 4.9 RPG, led the team in blocks

Losses

Maci Morris – 15.1 PPG, 3.1, second on the team in blocks

Taylor Murray – 12.4 PPG, 3.6 RPG, led the team is steals and assists

*Deasia Merrill – a true freshman forward, who tore her ACL and will miss the 2019-20 season

Newcomers

Emma King, 5’10 G

What it’ll take:

This was the Rhyne Howard show last season. As a freshman, Howard did all for the Wildcats, leading the team in scoring and rebounding and she wasn’t far behind the leaders in minutes and blocks. What Kentucky will need to continue to compete with the top 3 teams in the league, is to make up for the loss of Morris and Murray, with players like McKinney and Tatyana Wyatt.