Kentucky WBB Practice Report: Building chemistry, mixing lineups and Dazia Lawrence

With the start of the Kentucky women’s basketball season nearing closer, practice is starting to ramp up. Thanks to Darren Headrick and our friends at UK Sports Network, we’re able to get a bit of an inside look at practice now.

Headrick was joined by assistant Radvile Autukaite for the first Kentucky Women’s Basketball Practice Report of the season. They talked about a number of topics, ranging from vibes and energy in practice to Dazia Lawrence.

The first @KentuckyWBB practice report of the season with @Darren_Headrick & @CoachRad_ pic.twitter.com/gifLo7AgDx

— UK Sports Network (@UKSportsNetwork) October 17, 2024

The vibes around practice have been high as Kenny Brooks and the staff try to implement their system.

“It’s been great,” Autukaite said. “Lots of great energy, great attitudes and willingness to learn. Obviously, this time of year we’re putting in a lot of new stuff trying to teach, coach them. It’s really been a grind of preparing for the game. There’s a lot to prepare for, and a lot of thing’s we’re putting in right now. Offense, defense, things like that.”

Something that helps with implementing said system? Video. It allows the players and the staff to go back and see what they need to work on and what they may want to try out.

“We try to teach them as much as we can through video,” Autukaite explained. “On the court, the biggest thing is to mix up the lineups.”

She continued, “Chemistry is important. From being around each other the last couple of months, they’re building that naturally — the organic way. It’s showing up in practice. We try to mix up the lineups a little bit, make sure they all understand their roles and what we want from each of them. It might be a play or a situation, things like that. They have done a tremendous job of taking it all in and trying to adjust to our new system.”

As this team tries to get familiar with each other, sometimes, the communication isn’t always there. However, fifth-year senior guard Dazia Lawrence has been able to be a serviceable leader for this team.

“Her leadership skills on and off the court have been great,” Autukaite mentioned. “The other day in practice, freshmen are not really talking, and she’s talking to them to talk, and those are the things you just can’t measure. She brings so much of that. She’s always loud, just kind of encouraging her teammates, but also leading by example as well. Her minutes that she played in her career, you can’t measure that. She will be able to come here and impact us right away.”

Additionally, following Big Blue Madness, from top to bottom, this Kentucky team has been extra excited to get out on the court in anticipation for the season.

“After Big Blue Madness that night, I couldn’t fall asleep because I was like ‘I’m ready to go. Where’s my scout? Where’s the game? It’s something the girls feel, we feel, and we’re ready. We’re hoping to pack this Historic Memorial Coliseum and get to work.”