Injuries and absences costing Kentucky WBB down the stretch

Last year, the Kentucky women’s basketball team suffered injuries all season only to get healthy at the end of the year and win the SEC championship. This season, the ‘Cats are doing just the opposite.

After a healthy season throughout most of the year, injuries, illness and mysterious situations have plagued Kentucky in February. The ‘Cats have paid a hefty price for their problems. The team is on a five-game losing streak, most recently falling to an unimpressive Vanderbilt squad.

Maddie Scherr and Robyn Benton go down

Arguably Kentucky’s two best players were the first dominoes to fall. Junior guard Maddie Scherr began the avalanche when she did not return for the second half of Kentucky’s contest against Ole Miss on Feb. 13. The commentators on the SEC Network said Scherr suffered from headaches.

When the media asked Kyra Elzy about Scherr’s injury after the loss, it seemed like this wasn’t a sudden occurrence.

“We’ve been dealing with it. Maddie is a tough kid and we have an unbelievable medical staff and medical team that are taking care of her,” Elzy said following the loss. “We’ll take it to day to day until we can get her back feeling well.”

Scherr couldn’t get back soon enough. The Oregon transfer was out again as the ‘Cats took on Georgia just three days later. However, this time, Scherr wasn’t alone on the end of the bench. Robyn Benton also missed Kentucky’s game against Georgia due to an ankle injury.

It wasn’t a secret UK was without its leading scorer. The team scored a season-low 40 points against the Bulldogs. Benton returned for Kentucky’s outing against Vanderbilt on Sunday, but she didn’t look like herself. The 5-foot-9 guard recorded just two points in 24 minutes before being ejected in the fourth quarter.

Scherr, on the other hand, still has not returned to the hardwood… At least not in a game. Despite being listed out for illness, Scherr participated in Sunday’s pregame shootaround. The 5-foot-11 guard is still listed as day-to-day.

Together. 🫶 pic.twitter.com/9GewUilPZY

— Kentucky Women’s Basketball (@KentuckyWBB) February 19, 2023

Adding insult to injury

Kentucky’s perimeter players aren’t the only ones who caught the injury bug. Just minutes before the game on Sunday, the program announced junior forward Ajae Petty would be out with an ankle injury. Petty played in Kentucky’s game only three days earlier against Georgia. The 6-foot-3 transfer recorded four points and four rebounds in nine minutes.

Maddie Scherr (illness) and Ajae Petty (ankle) are considered day-to-day.

— Kentucky Women’s Basketball (@KentuckyWBB) February 19, 2023

While nobody saw Petty’s injury, Nyah Leveretter’s injury was all too evident. With just under five minutes left in the third quarter in the Cats’ loss against Vanderbilt, Leveretter went up for a non-contact rebound. After coming down with the ball, Leveretter collapsed to the floor, holding her right leg.

Elzy was hesitant to comment on the specifics of the injury following the contest when asked if Leveretter’s knee was affected.

“I’m not gonna comment on it right now. We’ll let our medical team handle that and when it’s time to release anything, we will do so,” Elzy said. “We pray for the best. Prepare for the worst.”

Ajae Petty is still listed as day-to-day.

A Cat in the dog house

If you thought Elzy was vague in her previous responses, you’re in for a surprise. Despite starting against Georgia and being the standout freshman for UK this season, Kennedy Cambridge did not touch the floor against Vanderbilt.

After the game, Elzy was short about the situation.

“It was a coach’s decision. No injury.“

Elzy better have a convincing reason to sit Cambridge. The Nashville native is a sparkplug player who has shown massive jumps recently. Against Ole Miss, Cambridge recorded a season-high nine points. In the next game, Cambridge snagged a season-high eight rebounds.

Be so serious. 🫣@kencambridge_ pic.twitter.com/tNKK1CHWTF

— Kentucky Women’s Basketball (@KentuckyWBB) February 17, 2023

Cambridge can help the ‘Cats from the sideline. Elzy likely has a good reason, but now is not the ideal time to make disciplinary statements. Sitting at 2-12 in SEC play, Kentucky has to win. Injuries and suspensions aren’t helping the ‘Cats achieve this goal.

In fairness, Elzy didn’t beat around the bush after the loss on Sunday.

“We don’t have any excuses. We didn’t win. There’s no excuse to it,” Elzy said. “When you take a team to the floor, whether we have five people, six people, or full roster, the expectation is to win. We’re not doing that right now. So, we’ll continue to evaluate, go back to work and find a way to rally, but there’s never an excuse.”