Nyah Leveretter Sustains ACL Tear, Out for the Season
University of Kentucky women’s basketball junior forward Nyah Leveretter sustained a torn anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee during the Kentucky-Vanderbilt game in Memorial Gymnasium in Nashville, Tennessee, on Feb. 19. She will miss the remainder of the season, it was announced by head coach Kyra Elzy on Monday. The Wildcat has played in all 26 games and made 21 starts this season, including the last 16 straight. She was averaging 2.5 points per game and 3.9 rebounds per game, while adding 2.8 points and 4.2 rebounds per game in conference action. The Blythewood, South Carolina, native had a career-high 11 rebounds against Auburn on Jan. 26 and a career-high tying eight points in Kentucky’s win against Missouri on Jan. 29. She also had a career-high three assists against Georgia on Feb. 16.
Chris Livingston Earns SEC Freshman of the Week Honor
After helping the Kentucky men’s basketball team to wins at Mississippi State and at home against No. 10 Tennessee, freshman Chris Livingston has garnered Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week laurels, the conference office announced Monday. Livingston averaged 12.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and two assists per game as the Wildcats picked up a pair of critical victories. The award is the fifth weekly SEC honor for a Wildcat this season. Oscar Tshiebwe earned SEC Player of the Week honors Jan. 23, while Cason Wallace has garnered SEC Freshman of the Week honors three times this season.
Rebounding Hampers Cards in Road Loss at Duke
Louisville men’s basketball lost the rebounding and turnover battles to Duke on Monday night, falling 79-62 at Cameron Indoor Stadium. The Cardinals (4-24, 2-15 ACC) were outscored 16-6 in second-chance points and 14-6 on points off turnovers, despite outshooting the Blue Devils from the field for most of the game. EL Ellis had seven assists to go with his 21 points. Junior forward JJ Traynor tied his career high of 16 points for the second straight game, making 4 of 5 from long range, and sophomore forward Brandon Huntley-Hatfield had nine points and five boards. Jeremy Roach led five Duke players in double figures with 14 points. The Blue Devils had 19 assists on their 29 made baskets.
Ellis Named ACC Co-Player of the Week
Louisville men’s basketball senior guard El Ellis has been named ACC Co-Player of the Week, the league announced Monday. This is the first weekly award of Ellis’ career, and he’s the first Cardinal to earn Player of the Week honors since David Johnson did so on Dec. 28, 2020. Ellis averaged 24.5 points and 4.5 rebounds last week across Louisville’s 83-73 win over Clemson on Saturday and its narrow 61-58 loss to No. 7 Virginia on Wednesday. The Durham, N.C., native played 78 of 80 possible minutes in both games and shot 55% from the field, 50% from 3-point range and 85% from the free-throw line. He’s one of five Cardinals since 1992 to record a season with at least 485 points and 123 assists, and his scoring average of 18.0 points per game is tied for the fifth-highest by a Louisville player since 1992. This is the second weekly award of the season for the Cardinals. Redshirt freshman Mike James was named Rookie of the Week on Jan. 9.
Arch Madness Seeding In Play For Racers & Bears
With State Farm Arch Madness coming next week in St. Louis, the Murray State Racers (15-13, 10-8 MVC) travels to Springfield to take on the Missouri State Bears (14-14, 10-8 MVC). Tip time at the Great Southern Bank Area is 6 p.m. Having won the first game between the two in Murray (Jan. 28), the Racers have a chance to take the season series and set themselves up for a possible 6-seed in the MVC Tournament. After Tuesday’s game in Springfield, the Racers close the 2022-23 regular season at home Saturday against the Valparaiso Beacons.
Young Earns Fourth POTW Honor
Junior Katelyn Young of the Murray State women’s basketball was named as the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week, the league announced Tuesday. The award was her fourth Valley weekly accolade of the season. Katelyn Young scored 30-plus points in each of last week’s games, while also tallying a double-double in each. The junior averaged 32.5 points and 11.0 rebounds over a 1-1 week that included a double OT loss at Missouri State. She shot 61.7-percent from the floor on the week, going 15-for-25 Friday and 14-for-22 Sunday. In addition, she also added three 3-pointers, three steals, two blocks and two steals.
>>Vols Visit Texas A&M
(College Station, TX) — The Tennessee Volunteers will try to snap a recent cold stretch when they visit number-25 Texas A&M at Reed Arena tonight. The Vols dropped two spots from number-11 to number-13 in yesterday’s coaches poll, and they’ve lost three of their last four games. Tennessee is tied for third-place in the SEC at 9-and-5 in conference play and 20-and-7 overall. Tonight’s game begins at 6:00PM Central time.