Ajae Petty only scored 12 points against Missouri, but that's actually a good thing

Yes, the headline was typed correctly. Ajae Petty‘s 12 points against Missouri were a good thing. Let me explain.

Throughout this entire season, Kentucky women’s basketball has been the “Ajae Petty Show”, for lack of better words. Night in and night out, the senior forward has had to put the Wildcats on her back and will them to the finish line.

Even with some highlight plays on Sunday, it wasn’t purely a one-person spectacle.

When the bench hasn’t produced, when Maddie Scherr is in the midst of shooting slump, and when Saniah Tyler and Eniya Russell are cold, Petty has been the one consistent piece that has gotten Kentucky to where they are.

🌪PETTY SPIN CYCLE🌪@AjaePetty15#WeAreUK pic.twitter.com/FmxNqSzubo

— Kentucky Women’s Basketball (@KentuckyWBB) January 21, 2024

Taking the weight off of Petty’s shoulders

Being a double-double machine is certainly something that Kyra Elzy likes Petty to be. However, Elzy would like to have her All-SEC candidate healthy for the duration of the season even more. And thanks to balanced scoring from the ‘Cats in a win against Missouri, Petty wasn’t forced to put up Herculean numbers.

“I thought they were relentless, focused all week. [We had] balanced scoring. We said we needed to have 75+ points,” Elzy mentioned after the Missouri game. “Ajae Petty, Saniah, Maddie, and Eniya, four people in double figures. That’s what your offense needs. But I thought everyone came in and made big plays, whether it was a free throw or extra pass, sharing the basketball.”

Coach Elzy hit the nail on the head. Kentucky’s offense has desperately needed balance all season long. Part of the reason that Kentucky has struggled at times is because of their lack of true offensive threats. Other than Petty, the options offensively have been limited. That has forced her to go out and put up 20 and 15 every single game, and that’s just not doable for the entirety of the season.

Eventually, after playing 30+ minutes like that every single game, the wheels are prone to wear down, especially in a conference as physical as the SEC. Finally, it felt like Petty had some help. Kentucky’s win against Missouri was a committee effort. And that’s exactly what Kyra Elzy needs for her team to be competitive in the SEC.