By Kevin Erpenbeck

[email protected]

The UK Hoops seniors have created many memories during their successful run with the program. They’ve made two straight Elite Eight appearances, broken scoring records and have accumulated the most wins of any UK senior class.

Jennifer O’Neill

Guard Jennifer O’Neill was UK’s first-ever McDonald’s All-American and has been of the most versatile guards in program history. She broke the school’s single-game scoring record by a player with 43 points in a quadruple overtime over Baylor last year and holds the fourth most three-pointers made in a single season.

But head coach Matthew Mitchell wanted to see more than statistics from his highly talented senior guard. He wanted to see O’Neill take on a bigger leadership role in her final season.

“I’ve been after Jennifer to step up and accept her importance to this team,” Mitchell said. “Her importance to the program is something that she has not always embraced.”

Guard Bria Goss has been UK’s leader on defense ever since her enrollment at UK, becoming the face of Mitchell’s “40 minutes of dread” full-court press. Goss was named the SEC Freshman of the Year during the 2011-12 season after averaging 11 points and recording 23 double-digit scoring games.

The Indianapolis native is also known for her consistency, especially at the line. Last year, Goss tied the consecutive free throw record with 27. She broke that record this year during the SEC Tournament, finishing with 31 made free throws in a row.

Azia Bishop

The 6-foot-3 forward saw a significant increase in her playing time this season, starting 23 of 32 games and averaging over 21 minutes per game. Azia Bishop played a lot of her career behind players like DeNesha Stallworth, Samarie Walker and Brittany Henderson, but she was required to step up her senior year and be the leader in the post that Mitchell needed.

As a result, Bishop has been a defensive force under the basket, leading the team in blocked shots with 52 (second most in the conference) and second in rebounding with 5.5 per game.

“She is our biggest presence in the lane, so she’s very important to us. She needs to play well for us to be good,” Mitchell said. “You talk about a kid I’m proud of – man, it’s been a long road to where we’ve gotten to.”

Jelleah Sidney

Forward Jelleah Sidney had a rough start to the season, missing almost two months due to chronic knee pain. Sidney has had several surgeries on both knees, and Mitchell has said that she would “never feel good again” due to little cartilage in the ligaments.

But Sidney was able to make a recovery. In her fourth game back, the Queens Village, N.Y., native pulled in nine rebounds against Tennessee. Her return to the lineup has been a big help to the team, and her presence on the court is noticeable.

The seniors have had a lot of success as a team and in their own ways, but their journey is not yet complete. They still search for that coveted program-first Final Four appearance, something that has been on their minds since the beginning of the season.

“If any seniors deserve a curtain call, it’s this one,” Mitchell said. “They’ve certainly earned everything they get.”