Kentucky women's basketball had a great season last year in both their record and from distance. Kentucky advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2015, and a large part of that was the record-breaking three-point race between Amelia Hassett and Asia Boone.
Hassett and Boone both broke Kentucky's single-season record for most threes, with Hassett ultimately getting the best of Boone, 99-96. Both players made 10+ more than Rhyne Howard, who previously held the record.
That race led to the whole squad breaking the team single-season record, nailing 299 triples. But this year's team excites Kenny Brooks even more. Despite those broken records, he believes (per KSR) this is probably "the best shooting team that I’ve ever had."
He isn't wrong, BBN.
Kentucky will light it up from deep this season once again
A huge reason why Brooks has so much confidence is, again, Asia Boone. The returning sharpshooter is entering her senior year, coming off a year that saw her make the aforementioned 96 of her 263 three-point attempts. But it's not just the returning Boone; there are a host of newcomers ready to make a splash.
Freshman Maddyn Greenway broke the state record for points, scoring over 5,600 points during her high school career. According to the NFHS, that puts her third all-time in men's and women's hoops for points scored, and the highest-scoring woman on that level in history.
Joining Greenway are fellow McDonald's All-Americans Emily McDonald and Savvy Swords. McDonald and Swords played together on the same high school team, and McDonald even won the co-ed three-point shooting contest at the McDonald's game. 247Sports calls Swords a "floor-spacing option with legitimate range to the three-point line."
That's not even all. Then you have the transfers.
Diana Collins leads a talented three-point shooting transfer class
Alabama's Diana Collins made 39.8% last season before committing to Kentucky. She's joined by Me'Arah O'Neal and a returning Dominika Paurova, who each shot above 37% the last time they were on the court.
Add in a top 10 WNBA pick in 6-foot-4 Ajsa Sivka, who made 4-4 from deep against Italy in the European Championship, and you have a team that can play five-out with everyone on the court being a real threat from deep.
That kind of versatility means other teams will have to match Kentucky's threat from distance, and we haven't even mentioned returning All-SEC star Clara Strack. While Strack isn't a legit danger from deep, shooting just 25% last season, she doesn't have to be when you have four players around her who can double down.
Brooks went on to emphasize that, saying "We think it’s going to be very difficult for them to really crowd Clara’s space... She’s gonna have more room to operate.” Teams are going to have to pick their poison, either help on a legit threat from deep or let Strack go one-on-one.
I don't envy these opposing coaches at all. Kentucky will open up the season Nov. 2 against Morehead State, who will be the first to endure this barrage.
Add us as a preferred source on Google