Kyra Elzy and the Cats got a No. 4 seed in the NCAA tourney. (Vicky Graff Photo)
Despite losing two of its last three games, Kentucky still got a No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament and will play 13th-seed Idaho State (22-3) Sunday in San Antonio on ESPN at 2 p.m. EST.
“We are excited. We have had some of our best practices of the year. I like the energy. I like the focus. We are looking forward to going to Texas to make a run,” Kentucky coach Kyra Elzy said after the pairings were announced.
Elzy knows what Kentucky has to do to change its late-season woes and win games in the NCAA.
“We have to sell out defensively. Leave our heart on the floor no matter what defense we are in, and then we have to have a balanced scoring attack,” Elzy said. “When we are at our best, we are pushing the ball in transition and we have three to four people scoring in double figures.”
The SEC put seven teams into the NCAA Tournament and Elzy believes the “gauntlet of the SEC” has her team prepared for postseason play.
“I think playing in this league, it forces you to put your best foot forward night in and night out. We are battle-tested. We’ve had to go against top-caliber teams all year long in this league, so in order to prepare to be the best, you have to beat the best, and we’ve done that night in and night out in this league,” Elzy said.
Junior All-American Rhyne Howard says she’s glad to be back in the tourney to “prove myself as a whole” and give the team a chance to “show” what it can do.
“We still want to have fun with it, but as long as we’re getting the job done,” Howard said. “If we’re not doing what we’re supposed to do then it’s not going to be very fun.”
Howard is just glad there is an NCAA Tournament this year after COVID wiped out last year’s tourney.
“For us to know who we are playing and know where we’re going is a good chance for us to go ahead and get a head start on it and get more prepared,” Howard said.
Elzy said her team is healthy and will continue to follow all COVID protocols to stay that way.
“It does get tiring receiving all of the tests, you know, social distancing, wearing your mask, but those are things we must stay diligent in order to play in March,” Elzy said.
“So far, so good, so we’ll keep our fingers crossed to continue to do what we need to do to keep everyone safe.”
