The 11th ranked Kentucky Wildcats women’s basketball team had a tough night in College Station, Texas, losing 61-55 to the Texas A&M Aggies. The Wildcats struggled with cold shooting, which ultimately led to their downfall.

Up to this point of the season, the Wildcats have been off to the best start anyone could have imagined last spring. Kentucky hired a proven coach from Virginia Tech, in coach Kenny Brooks. He brought over an established staff and assembled a quality team of transfers including his All-American Point Guard Georgia Amoore.

As the season has unfolded, up until last night, the Cats were 16-1 and had moved up to 11th in the AP Poll. National sports media pundits were beginning to buzz and take notice. A 5-0 start to the SEC, and being one of three remaining undefeated with teams the caliber of South Carolina and LSU, will do that in the women’s game.

Tough SEC Schedule

Kentucky began SEC play with four of the first six games on the road, including four of the last five games. Road tests in the SEC are not easy to manage, and the Cats have come through at 5-1. The Wildcats are tied for second in the conference with an even tougher stretch of games to finish the regular season coming up.

This Wildcat squad has ten remaining SEC games left on their schedule to close out the regular season. Of those ten games, six are currently ranked teams, and Ole Miss has been ranked earlier in the season, with the potential to climb back in the rankings. Away games against Oklahoma, Ole Miss, and South Carolina, and home tilts versus Alabama, Texas, LSU, and Tennessee loom large.

How The Wildcats Flourish

Kentucky has five starters who averages double figures, and they flourish when they spread ball around, and everyone gets in on the action. The last couple of road games it has been more of 2-3 player offensive effort and that has hampered their offense. The Cats must find a way to keep Dazia Lawrence and Amelia Hassett involved in the offensive action to be at their best.

The on-ball screening action with Georgia Amoore and bigs is one facet of a good offense. However, whether it’s through inside-out passing or through spreading the offensive out with quick passing ball movement, Kentucky has to find its shooters.

To End My Kentucky Rant

The remaining games to be played in the SEC will be a gauntlet. If these Wildcats are to make more noise on the national scene and in March Madness, they must find a way to be at their best against tough competition. The stage has been set, the test through the mid-point of the season has been passed.

Now it is time to remain a top 16 seed in the NCAA Tournament and make a statement in March that Kentucky is a team on the rise in women’s college basketball. They’ll look to bounce back at home against the Arkansas Razorbacks on Sunday.

To learn more on Coach Kenny Brooks and the Kentucky Women’s Basketball team click here.

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