Rice Taking Game to New Level as a Senior

It has been a solid start for the season for Kentucky, but one thing has been bugging Matthew Mitchell.
 
He challenged the Wildcats on that front entering a matchup with Marshall on Sunday.
 
“In some games this year we just haven’t been real aggressive on the offensive glass to start the game,” Mitchell said. “We’ve had to be prodded and heavily encouraged at timeouts to go the offensive glass.”
 
Prodded ahead of time, one of UK’s most coachable players – Alyssa Rice – accepted the challenge.
 
“Rebounding was really a big emphasis in this game because we knew they were a strong rebounding team,” Rice said. “That is just something that I put to the forefront of my mind, just be on the boards early.”
 
Rice was on the boards early, late and at all times in between as UK moved to 6-0 with a 69-39 win over the visiting Thundering Herd (1-4). The senior had the first double-double of her career on Sunday in Memorial Coliseum, posting a career-high 19 points and 10 rebounds. Rice led the way as UK was dominant with a 47-22 edge on the glass.
 
“Worked hard to have a big day on the boards,” Mitchell said. “That was something we really challenged them before the game, to be aggressive on the offensive and defensive boards, but we still need to improve.”
 
Improvement has been the name of the game for Rice throughout her career, but she is taking her game to the next level as a senior. She is averaging 9.7 points and 8.3 rebounds, far and way career highs in both categories.
 
“There just came a time for Alyssa where we were so proud of the person she was when she got here and she’s improved and she’s strengthened herself,” Mitchell said. “But I just wanted her to round into the basketball player she can be. She’s just come a million miles since the beginning of last year. Happy. Very, very happy for her.”
 
That feeling permeates the team, as Rice has always been the consummate teammate as well as a model citizen. Her character and leadership have paved the way for her representing the Southeastern Conference on the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Oversight Competition Committee and her team on the SEC Women’s Basketball Leadership Council.
 
“She puts in a lot of hard work and she does a lot of things besides basketball wise, but off the court; just making sure that we’re all organized and where we need to be,” Mitchell said. “I always tell people she’s like our mom. So, just to see her have a great game, it makes me happy and hopefully she continues to do it.”
 
With Rice’s work ethic, odds are she will.
 
“She worked hard,” Mitchell said. “Great game for her. Real proud of her. She’s worked hard.”