Kentucky Prepares for Road Doubleheader at Arkansas on Thursday, at Alabama on Sunday
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky women’s basketball program will face two straight road opponents this weekend, first visiting Arkansas on Thursday, Jan. 25 at 8 p.m. ET before taking on Alabama on Sunday, Jan. 28 at 5 p.m. ET.
The Kentucky-Arkansas game will be broadcast on SEC Network+, with Brett Dolan, Matt Zimmerman and Jordyn Lassiter on the call. The Kentucky-Alabama game will be on SEC Network, with Sam Gore and Tamika Catchings on the call.
Big Blue Nation also can listen in to the play-by-play of both games on UK Sports Network and / or 630 AM WLAP (locally), with the Voice of the Wildcats, Darren Headrick on the mic.
The Wildcats go into the road doubleheader with a 9-10 record, including a 2-3 mark in the Southeastern Conference. However, the Cats are still looking to pick up their first road win of 2023-24, sitting at 0-4 in away games.
Kentucky is coming off a win over Missouri, 76-71, at Rupp Arena last Sunday, which UK overcame a nine-point deficit in the game. Eniya Russell, a senior guard, came off the bench to lead the team with 20 points, while she was one of four players to score 10-or-more points, including Maddie Scherr (19), Ajae Petty (12) and Saniah Tyler (10).
UK moved to 9-1 on the season when at least four players score in double digits.
Tyler, a sophomore guard from Florissant, Missouri, re-entered the starting lineup after coming off the bench the last seven games. She has knocked down at least one 3-pointer in 17 of her last 18 games. Other notable performances from the triumph include Petty’s 11th double-double of the season (12 points, 10 rebounds) and Scherr’s nine rebounds, six assists, two steals and two blocks.
Kentucky shot 41.7 percent in the game, as it moved 2-1 in SEC action when it shoots above 40.0 percent.
Arkansas is 14-6 on the season, including 2-3 in the league. One of those league losses is to Kentucky, when the Cats defeated the Backs, 73-63, in the league opener on Jan. 4. Since then, Arkansas has picked up league wins over Georgia and Alabama.
Despite UK holding UofA to just four 3-pointers in the previous contest, Arkansas is currently leading the league in three-point attempts per game (30.6) and three-point field goals per game (9.3). Samara Spencer is leading the Backs in scoring in SEC action, putting up 20.8 points per game, while Saylor Poffenbarger is leading them and the league in rebounding this season with 12.3 boards per game.
In fact, the UK-UofA matchup will feature two of the best rebounders in the SEC, as Petty is ranked second with 207 rebounds and third with 10.9 rebounds per game.
The Razorbacks are averaging 70.8 points per game, and holding opponents to 68.0 points per game, in conference action.
Kentucky will have to guard the arc well in both road matchups.
Alabama, who is 15-6 this season and 2-4 in the SEC, is fourth in the league in three-point attempts per game (20.9) and three-point field goals per game (7.2). In fact, guard Aaliyah Nye leads the league in attempts (157), makes (67) and makes per games (3.19) from long range. She is top eight in the nation in each of those categories, too.
Sarah Ashlee Barker leads the Crimson Tide in SEC action in both scoring (16.0) and rebounding (5.8). The Tide are averaging 64.5 points per game, and their opponents are scoring 69.2 points per game, in conference action.
Kentucky is 9-1 this season, including all nine of its wins, when it scores at least 70 points.
For more information on the Kentucky women’s basketball team, visit UKathletics.com or follow @KentuckyWBB on X, Instagram and Facebook.
