Maddie Scherr Has Big Expectations for Herself and for Her Team

Maddie Scherr‘s big expectations for her team are second to none this season. The Kentucky women’s basketball senior made an appearance alongside Coach Kyra Elzy and teammate Ajae Petty at the SEC Tipoff in Birmingham, Alabama this past Thursday. There, she discussed how her role as a leader can support her team this upcoming season.

“I think something I’ve been trying to work on is just being more of a vocal leader,” Scherr said in an interview on SEC Now. “Keeping everybody focused and locked in mentally.” Part of her role as a team leader is “just reminding the team that we’re not going to be there again.”

Up, up & away. #SECTipoff pic.twitter.com/wcvEKW2IX1

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

Stressing “Mental Toughness”

So, what is the mentality that has been mentioned over and over again by Scherr, Elzy, and all of the other players?

“It looks like toughness,” Elzy said. “It looks like grit, it looks like doing the intangibles that no one else wants to do. Practice should be harder than any game that you play.”

With Kentucky projected to finish second to last in the SEC, the Wildcats don’t have many expectations to live up to. Other than their own. Now that Robyn Benton has graduated and Jada Walker transferred, Scherr said she feels sometimes the team needs her to go out and get a bucket. One basket can change the momentum of the entire game, and that’s what Scherr is the best at.

“A lot of it, for me, is more of the mental approach,” Scherr said on UK WBB Media Day. “Knowing that ‘Hey, this is what the team needs from you.'” She explained her ability to know which shot is going to be the best option, and which one will give the team the momentum they need to keep pushing.

“Winning cures all,” Scherr said. And she’s right. Kentucky went 2-14 in the SEC last season, and Coach Elzy wasn’t sure if her team had what it takes to win.

“A year ago I didn’t think we could get over the hump… we took too many possessions off, this year we’re trying to value every possession,” Elzy said. “We just need to finish.” Kentucky finished last season 12-19 overall. The beginning of the season looked to be very successful, starting 8-1, before a loss to Louisville flipped the script.

Kentucky then went on to finish the rest of the regular season 3-17, slowly making their way into the SEC Tournament. However, that wasn’t going to stop the ‘Cats from putting in good faith effort. Kentucky defeated both Florida and Alabama in the first two rounds before falling to Tennessee 80-71.

“You think about Maddie Scherr, a Kentucky girl that came home and not only did she show up, but she showed out this year. I think she showed why she is the player that she is,” Elzy said in the postgame press conference after losing to Tennessee.

Scherr finished last season averaging 11.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game, looking to improve on that this season. The Bluegrass native knows that, being the only double-digit scorer back from last season, she is going to be a focal point for opposing team defenses.

“I’ve definitely talked about that with Coach Elzy and my position coaches. We’re going to have to be creative this year with scoring options.” Those scoring options come from Scherr’s ability to read her defenders and find the open man.

“If they have to play a certain way on me, I’m going to know where the open person is,” Scherr said. Scherr is going to be looking to teammates, such as the much-improved Ajae Petty, to make the big plays this season.

Kentucky’s 2023-24 season tips off on Wednesday, Nov. 1 against Kentucky State, where we will finally see the ‘Cats in action.