Trio of freshmen prepared to leave mark on UK Hoops season
UK guard Linnae Harper (15) dribbles the ball around two Eckerd players during the second half of UK hoops vs Eckerd College at Memorial Coliseum in Lexington, Ky., on Sunday, November 3, 2013. Photo by Eleanor Hasken
November 6, 2013
By Tyler Spanyer | UK Hoops beat writer
Two Kentucky natives and the highest-ranked recruit in program history make up the UK Hoops’ freshman class this season — Makayla Epps, Linnae Harper and Kyvin Goodin-Rogers.
“When they walk into the gym, nobody on our team is concerned with where their recruiting ranking was at all,” UK Hoops head coach Matthew Mitchell said. “They’re just concerned with can they become a part of our defensive scheme and can they produce offensively.”
Harper is the highest-ranked recruit in program history at No. 5 overall and No. 2 guard in this year’s class, as well as one of six finalists for McDonald’s High School Player of the Year.
This summer, Harper participated in the FIBA U-19 World Championships as a member of Team USA.
She helped the team win a gold medal, averaging 8.4 points, five rebounds and 3.6 assist per game in the tournament.
Harper said during media day last month that there’s room for her to improve on and off the court as the season progresses.
Epps was Ms. Kentucky Basketball this past season and led Marion County to a 39-0 record and their first state title.
Epps was listed as the 37th ranked player in the country per ESPN and was a McDonald’s All-American.
She is the daughter of former UK player Anthony Epps, who played at UK from 1994-98 and was the starting point guard for the 1996 NCAA Championship team.
Makayla Epps compiled more than 3,300 points in her high school career and was a three-time All-State selection.
Mitchell eluded to her versatility on media day, saying she could play all “five positions on the court.”
“I’m a taller, stronger and larger point guard than most of the guards out here, so whoever is guarding me is primarily going to be smaller than me,” Epps said. “That’s what we’re looking for are mismatches. And right now I’ve been playing the one through the three positions.”
Rounding out the class is Epps’ Marion County teammate Goodin-Rogers. She will miss her entire freshman season due to a clot in her lung, called a pulmonary embolism.
“She came to our senior athletic trainer after suffering from sharp pains in her chest on Monday,” Mitchell said.
Goodin-Rogers will be on blood thinners for the next several months due to the condition.
She was expected to play a pivotal role in UK’s frontcourt this season and came in ranked as a top-60 forward according to ESPN. She was a four-time All-State selection in Kentucky.
She finished her high school career with more than 2,400 points and almost 1,700 rebounds
