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Rhyne Howard, who has been pegged as the best player in the country entering the 2020-21 NCAAW season, has been suspended two games “for not upholding the standards of the (Kentucky women’s basketball) program,” Kentucky interim head coach Kyra Elzy announced on Wednesday.
Interim head coach Kyra Elzy has announced that Tatyana Wyatt has been suspended three games for violation of team rules and Rhyne Howard has been suspended two games for not upholding the standards of the program. Both will begin their suspensions today.
— Kentucky WBB (@KentuckyWBB) November 25, 2020
Howard averaged 23.4 points per game last season and was a First Team USBWA and AP All-American. Her Wildcats are the No. 11 team in the country. With her star power, they are expected to compete with the best teams in the nation.
Kentucky faces Murray State in its first game of the season on Wednesday at 1 p.m. ET. On Sunday, the the Wildcats play Belmont.
Howard’s senior teammate Tatyana Wyatt — suspended three games for “violation of team rules” — started 20 games for Kentucky last season and averaged 5.5 points and 3.7 rebounds. She will miss the Wildcats’ third game, versus Power 6 program Kansas State on Dec. 3.
Elzy was recently promoted to interim head coach of the Wildcats after Matthew Mitchell retired.