Kentucky women's basketball did exactly what it needed to do in the opening round of the SEC Tournament.
Dominate.
The Wildcats cruised past the Arkansas Razorbacks women by 30 points on Wednesday, and once again, the star of the night was Clara Strack.
Strack finished with 20 points and 13 rebounds in just 22 minutes, continuing the tear she’s been on since an unusual bit of motivation from head coach Kenny Brooks.
Earlier this week, Brooks called Strack the “worst superstar” he’s ever coached. He said she cried, and it was meant as a challenge that she had to accept. Brooks said he knew exactly how to push her buttons.
So far, it looks like he pushed the right one.
Kentucky gets another early start
Kentucky’s reward for advancing is another early tip.
The Wildcats will face the Georgia Bulldogs at 11 a.m. on the SEC Network, a quick turnaround that continues the morning theme for the tournament for the Cats so far.
The last time these two teams met came under unusual circumstances back in January.
A winter storm swept across the South, forcing the game to be moved from Sunday to Saturday. Kentucky was also missing forward Teonni Key after she suffered an elbow injury against Missouri.
Georgia took full advantage.
The Bulldogs escaped Historic Memorial Coliseum with a 72-67 win, a result that ultimately played a role in Kentucky missing out on an SEC Tournament bye, forcing them to play yesterday.
A different Kentucky team this time
The Wildcats should look very different in the rematch.
For one, Key is back and playing. Her presence inside could change the entire complexion of the game, especially against a Georgia team that won the rebounding battle the first time around.
And it’s hard to imagine Strack repeating her rough shooting night from that January matchup, when she finished just 3-for-13 from the field.
If Kentucky’s star forward finds her rhythm, the Wildcats’ offense becomes much harder to contain.
The road ahead could get much tougher
Kentucky still has an outside shot at climbing into the top-16 NCAA Tournament hosting spots, though the Wildcats were not included in the committee’s early reveal earlier this month.
A win over Georgia would certainly help. But it would also set up a daunting challenge.
Waiting in the next round would likely be the top seed, the defending national power from Columbia: the South Carolina Gamecocks women's basketball led by Dawn Staley.
Kentucky already proved it can compete with them, though. The Wildcats held South Carolina to a season-low 60 points last Sunday, before falling 60-56 in a tight battle.
Still, that potential showdown won’t matter if Kentucky can’t handle business first.
First things first
The focus remains squarely on Georgia, it has to. The Cats can not look ahead or Georgia will walk away with the victory.
Tipoff is set for 11 a.m. on the SEC Network, meaning no streaming services or app hopping required.
Just turn on the TV, grab an early lunch, and see if the Wildcats can keep their postseason momentum rolling. And if you’re stuck at work, don’t worry. We’ll have you covered with updates the entire way.