Elzy Sets Tone While Earning First Win

Kentucky women’s basketball interim head coach Kyra Elzy had her first game in the “big chair” on Wednesday as she led the Cats into battle against Murray State.

But even before the game started, Elzy was already dealing with adversity. Prior to the game, Elzy suspended two returning starters, including defending SEC Player of the Year Rhyne Howard (the other was Tatyana Wyatt).

It was not a decision that Elzy took lightly.

“It’s a very difficult decision,” Elzy said. “We have not played basketball since March. You want everybody to take the floor. We’ve been dealing with such adversity. But at the end of the day, my job as the leader of this program is to make sure that our players are held accountable and they are responsible and they are ready for the real world. And there are consequences for every decision that is not the right one. I love them enough not to turn my head when mistakes are made.”

Still, the show had to go on and Elzy, in her first game as head coach, wasn’t sure how her team would react.

Turns out, they did just fine, thank you. After seeing Murray State score the first three points of the game, Kentucky went on a 17-2 run and never looked back, winning 86-60 in Elzy’s debut as interim head coach.

“Not having Rhyne and Tot on the floor did hurt us,” Elzy said. “However, this team is resilient, and we prepare for ‘no person is bigger than the team.’ So when your name is called, we need you to step up and make plays.”

Without Howard and Wyatt, Elzy turned to senior point guard Chasity Patterson, who responded in a big way. The Houston native had 30 points, two shy of her career high, in the win. She impressed her new head coach.

“So proud of Chasity Patterson. She has been intentional, all summer about taking responsibility of playing the point guard position,” Elzy said. “I thought she was aggressive offensively. She made sure we got into our sets and ran our plays efficiently and effectively. I am super proud of how she played defensively.”

Junior Blair Green also stepped up on Wednesday, tying her career high with 13 points. Elzy liked what the Harlan County native was able to do.

“Blair Green has been relentless in her work ethic,” Elzy said. “Come in, get extra shots, I thought she played within herself, took great shots and her hard work has paid off.”

And freshman Treasure Hunt played well in her debut, scoring 12 points.

“I thought Treasure came in, she was solid,” Elzy said. “She made shots, she tried to play hard on the defensive end.”

As for her first-game jitters, Elzy got over them very quickly.

“I think my nerves settled in really quickly when we missed that first box out and I went to intense mode,” she said. “I forgot all about the nerves and the jitters to the fiery person that I am. So honored to coach here, get my first win, but it’s bigger than me.”

Despite having all of one game under her belt as a head coach, Elzy already sounds the part.

“We did some great things, very happy for the win and what we’ve done,” Elzy said after the game. “But there are some things that we can fix.”

Elzy and the Cats overcame adversity on Wednesday to get their first win of the season and the first of Elzy’s career. It was a chance for Elzy to set the tone for the team both on and off the court. And she did.