AlyssaRice

Combination of size and speed will be key for Kentucky in the post … Her versatility makes her difficult to defend … Improved defensively and became key for UK in the post last season … Tough finisher around the basket … Really shined in 2016 summer workouts and is completely healthy after missing the early part of 2015-16 due to injury … Team’s representative on the Student Athlete Advisory Committee and will represent the team at the league office’s Basketball Student-Athlete Leadership Council. 

• SEC Academic Honor Roll (2015, 2016, 2017)

2016-17 (Junior)
Played in all 33 games with 30 starts … Averaged 21.8 minutes per game, 4.2 points per game, 4.5 rebounds per game and shot 41.0 percent from the field … Finished second on the team with 22 blocks … Set or tied career highs during the season in points (11), field-goals made (5), field-goals attempted (10), free-throws made (4), free-throws attempted (8), offensive rebounds (5), defensive rebounds (7), total rebounds (9), assists (3), steals (2) and minutes (32) … Scored in double-figures three times, while leading UK in blocks 12 times and in rebounds twice … Career-best 11 points against Alabama in the SEC Tournament, adding five rebounds … Had 10 points and seven rebounds against New Hampshire and posted 10 points with two rebounds in Kentucky’s game against highly ranked South Carolina in Memorial Coliseum … Posted eight points with six rebounds and one block against South Carolina in the SEC Tournament. 

2015-16 (Sophomore)
Missed a majority of non-conference play due to a stress reaction in her foot, but returned to play in 26 games with two starts … Averaged 2.4 points per game with 2.3 rebounds per game and 11 total blocks … Played her best basketball in the SEC Tournament, scoring nine points with five rebounds in the opening game vs. LSU, before eight points and nine rebounds against Florida in the quarterfinals … Had at least one offensive rebound in 19 of her 26 games played … Went 22-for-50 from the field and 18-for-32 from the free-throw line … Her nine points scored against LSU in the SEC Tournament tied a career high for points scored, while her nine rebounds the next day against Florida set a new career high for total rebounds … Led UK in blocks six times during the season. 

2014-15 (Freshman)
Played in all 34 games with 10 starting assignments … Averaged 2.9 points per game, while grabbing 2.7 boards per game … Averaged 2.9 ppg and 2.1 rpg in SEC play … Scored a career-high tying nine points in UK’s win over Tennessee State in the NCAA Tournament first round (3/20/15) on 2-of-2 shooting from the floor and 5-of-6 from the foul line … Tallied a career-high nine points at Vanderbilt (2/8/15), while also grabbing two rebounds and recording a career-high three blocks … Earned her first career start vs. Middle Tennessee State (12/12/14) and swatted away a career-high two blocks in 19 minutes … Scored at least one point in 29 of 34 games played … Grabbed a career-high eight rebounds vs. Oklahoma (11/28/14) … Led UK with two steals in just 18 minutes of action in the win over No. 8/9 Baylor (11/17/14) in Rupp.

High School
Ranked the No. 3 post player in the country and 20th overall player according to ESPN.com … Named Reynoldsburg’s first McDonald’s All-American … USA Today Third-Team All-American … WBCA All-American honorable mention … Holds the scoring (1433) and rebounding all-time record (904) at Reynoldsburg High School … Led the Raiders to a 96-11 record during her four seasons … Named Associated Press First-Team All-Ohio and The Columbus Dispatch All-Metro team player of the year after averaging 19.1 points per game as a senior  … As a junior, led the Raiders to a 24-4 overall record and averaged 15.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 4.0 blocks per game, while shooting 65 percent from the floor … Named First-Team All-Ohio … Named to the MaxPreps 2013 Girls Basketball All-America Team … Chose Kentucky over Virginia, Maryland, Ohio State and West Virginia … Member of the National Honor Society … Played AAU for Sports City U.

Personal
Place of Birth: Forrest City, Ark. … Parent(s): Thomas and Laurie Rice … Siblings: One sister (Brittany) and one brother (Jordan) … Major: Finance, minor in Communication … Shooting Hand:  Right

The Cats’ Cause
Volunteered to pack and deliver food for God’s Pantry BackPack program … Part of a group that helped collect blankets for UK Children’s Hospital.