by LARRY VAUGHT
Kentucky women’s basketball coach Kenny Brooks knows with the turnover in college basketball now via the transfer portal that returning experience gives a team even a bigger advantage.
“There’s a lot of movement in college basketball and although we did add some very important pieces, we have a good core back,” Brooks said. “A core that understands exactly what we want, how we want it, who’s actually been through it here at the University of Kentucky.
“So no longer are you ever going to go and not know what the SEC is going to be like, not knowing what crowds in Memorial are going to be like. So that familiarity is great.”
Kentucky lost All-American point guard Georgia Amoore, a first-round WNBA pick and UK’s clear leader in Brooks’ first season, off last season’s NCAA Tournament team along with guard Dazia Lawrence (graduation) and Clara Silva (transfer portal).
But the Cats do return starters Clara Strack, Amelia Hassett and Teonni Key who combined for 47 percent of UK’s scoring last season and 71 percent of its rebounding. All three players averaged 1.3 blocked shots or more per game.
Strack was named the SEC Defensive Player of the Year after averaging 2.4 blocks per game last season.
Brooks thinks that the returning trio gives UK a “leg up” going into his second season.
“Gives us a leg up on a lot of the competition because a lot of our key players know exactly what’s expected of them, and they’ll be able to provide even more,” the UK coach said. “So that’s something that we’re going to hang our hat on in order for us to have success right out of the gate.
“Just understanding each other, that’s a big factor. And when we had the core come back, we knew that we were going to be a step ahead.”
