Kentucky womens basketball seeks second SEC win against Missouri

Kentucky+Wildcats+guard+Robyn+Benton+%281%29+shoots+a+free+throw+during+the+Kentucky+vs.+No.+1+South+Carolina+womens+basketball+game+on+Thursday%2C+Jan.+12%2C+2023%2C+at+Memorial+Coliseum+in+Lexington%2C+Kentucky.+South+Carolina+won+95-66.+Photo+by+Jack+Weaver+%7C+Staff

Jack Weaver

Kentucky Wildcats guard Robyn Benton (1) shoots a free throw during the Kentucky vs. No. 1 South Carolina womens basketball game on Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023, at Memorial Coliseum in Lexington, Kentucky. South Carolina won 95-66. Photo by Jack Weaver | Staff

Ayden Parece, Reporter

Kentucky womens basketball will look to earn its second SEC win of the season when it hosts the Missouri Tigers on Sunday, Jan. 29.

This is the second stint between the two teams, following a 74-71 Missouri win over the Wildcats in Columbia on December 29, with Kentucky returning back to Memorial Coliseum for the rematch in Lexington against the Tigers.

This will be Kentucky’s second home game this week as the Cats desperately search for a conference win at home following two close losses to Mississippi State and Auburn.

The Wildcats fell to the Bulldogs on the road 77-76 on Sunday, Jan. 22, and to the Tigers this past Thursday in Lexington.

Overall, the Wildcats have struggled since the start of conference play and will be taking the court against the Tigers with a 9-11 overall record and a 1-7 conference record.

In the light of the team’s struggles, Kentucky’s stars continue to shine down the stretch.

The Wildcats are led by senior guard Robyn Benton who has led the Cats in scoring all year, averaging 17 points per game with 41% shooting.

In Kentucky’s sole conference win of the season, Benton recorded a new career high with 29 points against Florida on Jan. 15.

Junior Maddie Scherr perfectly complements Benton from the wing with Scherr averaging a balanced 11 points, six rebounds, and five assists per game on 38% shooting.

Sophomore Jada Walker averages 14 points a game, shooting 45% from the field. Walker and Scherr have combined for 105 points in their last three games.

As for Missouri, the Tigers currently sit at 14-7 on the season and a 3-5 conference record, with one of those wins already notched over the Wildcats.

The Tigers are led by senior Hayley Frank, who has continued to be the team’s top performer, averaging 14 points and four rebounds per game, shooting 45%.

Following right behind Frank is Lauren Hanson, who is shooting 39% from the field and averaging 13 points per game.

While the Wildcats have struggled heavily in conference play this season, with their last two games lost by a combined four points, the added spark that Maddie Scherr and Jada Walker bring alongside Robyn Benton may be enough to give them the edge against the Tigers.

Kentucky and Missouri are set to tip off inside Memorial Coliseum on Sunday, Jan. 29, at 3 p.m. EST in Lexington, Kentucky. The game can be streamed live on the SEC Network.