KSR's Kentucky WBB takeaways from Big Blue Madness

Basketball season is upon us, folks. Friday night, the Lady ‘Cats arrived in style and then kicked off Big Blue Madness as they took the floor first to get the festivities rolling. Like every year, Big Blue Madness was more of a light scrimmage than a real-game setting, but there was still some stuff to take away from the event.

Maddie Scherr is Undoubtedly the Leader

From the get-go, it was obvious that this was going to be Maddie Scherr‘s team, as many speculated in the preseason. During warm-ups, Scherr was consistently making shots, and that carried over to the 3-Point Contest.

Scherr began the shootout with 18 points in the first round, the most of the entire competition. It seemed like this was going to be a blowout of sorts before fifth-year senior Emma King gave her a run for her money in the final round, but Scherr outscored her, winning 15-13.

The scrimmage is where Scherr really stood out, however. While just about everyone on the team struggled, Scherr would consistently make play after play. Whether it was a smooth jumper or a flashy pass, Scherr was the conductor on the floor. Kyra Elzy will heavily rely on her for production, as expected.

Saniah Tyler has the Green Light to Shoot

While the sophomore guard struggled to get things going, it was evident that Saniah Tyler has been given the green light to shoot the three-ball anytime she wants. During the 3-Point Contest, Tyler only scored five points in round one, but that didn’t stop her from shooting.

In the scrimmage, Tyler was making cuts and finding open space to set herself up for threes. Clearly, her teammates trust her as well, as they kept feeding her the rock. She even banked in a three from the top of the key.

While it may have been disappointing to see her not making shots, you have to like Tyler’s confidence on offense. Whether it was adjusting to playing Rupp Arena, Big Blue Madness jitters, or just a slump of a night doesn’t matter much now if she can hit them when it counts.

Amiya Jenkins From Deep!

For whatever reason, sophomore Amiya Jenkins wasn’t in the 3-Point Contest, but after watching her in the scrimmage, she could have definitely kept up with Maddie Scherr; she was absolutely lights out.

Playing just 8.9 minutes and averaging 3.2 points per game last season, many didn’t expect Jenkins to play such a big role on the team as a sophomore, but perhaps she will. In the brief six-minute scrimmage, Jenkins sunk three triples to help the Blue Team to a 20-6 win over the White Team.

It didn’t matter if it was in transition, in an offensive set, wide open, or with a hand in her face, Jenkins was automatic during Big Blue Madness. It’s safe to say the Lexington native did not shy away from the spotlight.

This Team is a Work in Progress

Now, it’s time to state the obvious: the women’s team didn’t really perform all that well during Big Blue Madness. Despite some of the positives, there were some glaring weaknesses, and it was very apparent throughout the night.

It is very easy to pick out who the freshmen are on this squad. Missing easy layups, bad passes, and making questionable decisions with the ball were the themes of the scrimmage. It became a full-court layup line towards the end. But to be fair, that’s been a theme with this event for years.

That being said, this team does have potential. Behind Maddie Scherr and Ajae Petty, there is a strong enough supporting cast to give this team a fighting chance in the SEC. Players such as Brooklynn Miles and Zennia Thomas can be good contributors for the 2023-24 unit.

Big Blue Madness was a big event for the women’s basketball team in many ways. They got their first taste of playing in Rupp Arena, and now it’s time to get some issues worked out prior to the debut of the season against the ETSU Lady Buccaneers on November 7th.