PREVIEW: Kentucky WBB looks to beat Auburn on Rhyne Howard Day
Sunday is the Kentucky fan’s last chance to see Rhyne Howard put on a show in Memorial Coliseum. Moreover, it’s Kentucky Women Basketball’s opportunity to close the season in perfect fashion.
On Sunday, the Wildcats (14-11) will celebrate Senior Rhyne Howard Day as they take on the Auburn Tigers (10-16) in Memorial Coliseum at 4 p.m. The ‘Cats defeated Auburn 67-55 earlier this season on Jan. 25 on the road. Nonetheless, there’s more than a straightforward win on the line on Sunday.
After beginning conference play 2-8, Kentucky is on a five-game winning streak. Finally back in NCAA Tournament projections, the ‘Cats are fighting to keep their spot. In her last game in Memorial Coliseum, Rhyne Howard will undoubtedly do everything she can to make sure nothing changes.
Nevertheless, Auburn won’t lie down. Let’s discuss the team looking to ruin Kentucky’s Sunday celebration.
Talking about the Tigers
As determined as Auburn may be, history isn’t on their side. The Tigers are the worst team in the league with a 2-13 SEC record. They are marching into Memorial Coliseum coming off a 20-point loss against Ole Miss.
Led by head coach Johnnie Harris, Auburn averages 63.6 points per game while allowing 64.6. As the team’s record may indicate, they don’t have much to brag about. The Tigers are connecting on just 39% of their attempts from the field and 28.6% of their shots from beyond the arc.
One of the Tigers’ few bright spots is Aicha Coulibaly. The 6-foot guard leads the team in points and rebounds with 17.3 points and 7.5 rebounds per outing. Nevertheless, Coulibaly isn’t without weakness. The sophomore has a .43 assist-to-turnover ratio.
Honesty Scott-Grayson suffers from the same issue. The redshirt junior has 66 turnovers compared to just 50 assists this season. In fairness, Scott Grayson is a consistent contributor, adding 13.1 points and 5.7 boards a night.
Sania Wells is the final piece to the Tigers’ puzzle. Wells averages 9.2 points and leads the team in assists. The 5-foot-7 guard isn’t a threat from deep, only shooting 25.5% from 3-point land.
A lack of rebounding is responsible for many of Auburn’s issues. In Auburn’s loss to Kentucky, the Wildcats out-rebounded the Tigers 43-34. Considering UK didn’t have their leading rebounder Dre’Una Edwards, Auburn may be in trouble on Sunday.
Kentucky will aim to expose more than one of Auburn’s weaknesses.
Keys for Kentucky WBB
One of Auburn’s main weaknesses, like many other teams, is not having Rhyne Howard. The All-American proved fatal to the Tigers in the two teams’ last matchup. Howard dropped 29 points and nine rebounds in the contest. With the circumstances surrounding Sunday’s game, Auburn should prepare themselves.
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To pile on, Howard isn’t the only one playing well. Edwards led Kentucky in their most recent win over Missouri with a career-high 30 points. The standout performance marks her ninth double-double of the season. Head coach Kyra Elzy discussed Edwards’ impressive recent play after the team’s win on Thursday.
“Dre has been steady for us. Her ability to score inside and out, it really takes some pressure off Rhyne,” Elzy said during the Missouri postgame press conference. “When we can play inside-out and move the ball, that makes our offense better.”
UK’s offense has shown significant improvement throughout their win streak. Specifically, the ball movement has reached new heights. UK is averaging 17.4 assists per game over their recent string of success.
Perhaps Kentucky’s most remarkable improvement is the squad’s confidence. With a healthy roster, Kentucky looks like a different team. Howard spoke on the team’s newfound mindset during a press conference on Friday.
“We knew that we were a better team than what we were showing,” Howard said. “My teammates knew it and I believed in them, they believed in me, and we stayed together through everything.”
The team will have one more battle to fight through on Sunday before heading into the SEC Tournament. The contest is a must-have win. If Kentucky can defeat the Tigers and Georgia loses their final game, Kentucky will surpass the Bulldogs for the No. 6 spot in the SEC standings.
Nonetheless, Kentucky isn’t focused on logistics. They’re focused on winning and giving Howard a Senior Day she’ll never forget. Senior Day festivities are expected to begin at 3:40 p.m. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m. The game will be broadcast on the SEC Network.
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