For the first time since 2017 and the ninth time under head coach Matthew Mitchell the University of Kentucky women’s basketball team has finished in the top 25 of both The Associated Press Top 25 and USA Today/Coaches Top 25, completing a fantastic season for the Wildcats in 2018-19. UK celebrated the season at its annual postseason banquet Thursday night.
Kentucky ended the season with 25 wins for just the eighth time in program history and seventh under Mitchell. The Wildcats started the season with nine straight wins, including going 3-0 in the 2018 Paradise Jam earning the Island Division title with wins over UCLA, North Carolina and South Florida. UK entered conference play with a 13-1 record with the 13 wins being the most before January 1 in program history.
Southeastern Conference play saw the Wildcats post 11 wins and earn a top-four finish in the league for the 10th time under Mitchell. UK’s 11 SEC wins marked the sixth time in program history the Wildcats had won 11 or more league games. The Wildcats earned their ninth top-four seed in the SEC Tournament but fell in overtime to fifth-seeded Missouri.
The strong regular season led Kentucky to its 15th all-time appearance in the NCAA Tournament earning a six seed. The tournament appearance was the ninth for Kentucky under Mitchell, who helped UK defeat Princeton in the first round and remain perfect in opening round NCAA Tournament games during his tenure. The Wildcats lost in the second round to top-10 ranked NC State.
Along the way, the 2018-19 Wildcats left their mark in the UK record book ranking top 10 in several team and single-game categories. Against Southern University the Wildcats hit 13 3s which was the second most in a game in program history while its 43 turnovers forced in the season opener vs. Alabama State ranked fourth most in a game in school history. UK put together one of the best offensive performances in program history against Western Carolina, hitting 41 field goals which is seventh most in program history for 58.4 percent from the field, which is ninth best in a game in program history.
Overall on the year, the Wildcats ranked top 10 in program history in several offensive and defensive categories. On top of a +12.4 scoring margin which was 10th best, the Wildcats hit 234 3-pointers which ranked second most in program history while their 36.4 percent from long range was 24th best in the nation. Defensively, the Wildcats forced the seventh most turnovers in program history while their +8.5 turnover margin ranked third nationally and first in the SEC.
Individually, several Wildcats put together impressive seasons paced by unanimous national freshman of the year Rhyne Howard, who led UK with 16.4 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. Howard’s rookie campaign was one of the best in program history as she finished the year ranking high on UK’s single-season records for freshman sitting second in points, second in points per game, fourth in rebounds per game, first in 3-pointers made, third in 3-point field goal percentage, third in steals, second in double-figure scoring games and fifth in double-figure rebounding games.
Senior guard Maci Morris and Taylor Murray each put together great final seasons with Morris averaging 15.1 points per game and hitting a team-best 75 3s while Murray averaging 12.4 points per game and led UK with 123 assists and 103 steals. A complete list of individual accomplishments is below.
Along with Murray and Morris, forward LaShae Halsel and guard Paige Poffenberger, UK will say goodbye to four total seniors from the 2018-19 season. Murray and Morris end their careers as two of the best to every play for the Wildcats. Murray finishes her career third in free-throw percentage, fourth in steals, fifth in assists, eighth in assists per game and 17th all-time in scoring. Morris concludes her UK tenure first in 3-point field-goal percentage, second in free-throw percentage, second in 3s made, third in games started and sixth in scoring.
The Wildcats will return a large portion of its production for 2019-20 even with the departure of four seniors. In total, the Wildcats are set to return 63 percent of its scoring, 62 percent of its made 3-point field goals, 87 percent of its offensive rebounding, 81 percent of its total rebounding, 60 percent of its assists and 77 percent of its blocks and 58 percent of its steals. UK will also add incoming true freshman Emma King (Stanford, Ky.) and Deasia Merrill (Villa Rica, Ga.) along with transfers Sabrina Haines, Nae Nae Cole and Chasity Patterson.
For more information on the Kentucky women’s basketball team, visit UKathletics.com or follow @KentuckyWBB on Twitter, Instagramand Facebook.
Taylor Murray
Preseason All-SEC Second Team by league coaches
SEC Player of the Week (Nov. 27)
College Sports Madness National Player of the Week (Nov. 26)
Naismith Women’s Defensive Player of the Year Watch List
Naismith Women’s Defensive Player of the Year Semifinalist
SEC All-Defensive Team by league coaches
Maci Morris
Preseason All-SEC First Team by league coaches
Ann Meyers Drysdale Award Watch List
Citizen Naismith Trophy Watch List
Ann Meyers Drysdale Award Top 10 Watch List
Ann Meyers Drysdale Award Finalist
Citizen Naismith Trophy Top 30 Watch List
SEC Community Service Team
SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year
All-SEC First Team by league coaches
All-SEC Second Team by Associated Press
WBCA All-Region honoree
WBCA All-America Honorable Mention
Rhyne Howard
8X SEC Freshman of the Week
USBWA National Freshman of the Week (Dec. 26)
Cheryl Miller Award Top 10 Watch List
SEC Freshman of the Year by league coaches
All-SEC First Team by league coaches
All-SEC Second Team by Associated Press
SEC All-Freshman Team by league coaches
SEC Newcomer of the Year by Associated Press
espnW National Freshman of the Year
WBCA National Freshman of the Year
USBWA National Freshman of the Year
WBCA All-Region honoree
WBCA All-America Honorable Mention
Blair Green
SEC All-Freshman Team by league coaches
Matthew Mitchell
SEC Co-Coach of the Year (coaches)
‑ GO CATS –
For more information contact:
Evan Crane