UK Hoops lands 2 major SEC transfers

The Kentucky Wildcats women’s basketball team just added two major transfers.

On Wednesday, the school announced that point guard Jazmine Massengill and shooting guard Robyn Benton had signed with UK.

Massengill, who was a star guard for two years with the Tennessee Volunteers, has played in 53 career games and brings a wealth of experience to UK’s backcourt. The 6-foot guard averaged 6.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game last season, hitting 40% from the field while adding 23 blocks and 27 steals. She recorded 10+ assists twice last season, including a career-best 12 against Missouri.

“We spent a lot of time with Jazmine and her family during her initial recruiting process and are grateful they let us rekindle our relationship this time around and can now welcome her into Big Blue Nation,” UK head coach Matthew Mitchell said in a press release. “Jazmine is an electric guard that uses her size and strength to really make a difference on both ends of the court. Off the court, her personality can light up a room and I am so excited she is a Wildcat and brings that energy to our program.”

As a freshman, Massengill saw action in 32 games and averaged 3.4 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game. She was a very decorated high school athlete as a 2018 McDonald’s All-American and Jordan Brand Classic participant. She also earned NACA Sports First-Team All-America honors as a senior and was Naismith All-America Honorable Mention as a junior.

Massengill previously played at Hamilton Heights Christian Academy in Chattanooga, Tennessee under Keisha Hunt, who is the mother of UK signee Treasure Hunt, who also played at Hamilton Heights.

Benton, a 5-9 guard, transfers to UK after playing 52 career games with the Auburn Tigers the last two seasons, earning All-SEC Freshman Team honors in 2018-19. As a rookie, she played in 32 games and averaged 5.8 points per game.

Last season, Benton appeared in 20 games with 14 starts while averaging 10.1 points per game with 27 3-pointers, 56 steals and 28 assists. She missed the first nine games due to injury.

“Robyn is a fantastic player that really is going to fit in perfectly here at Kentucky,” UK head coach Matthew Mitchell said. “When you look at her production the last two seasons, she has shown an ability to score at a high level and has some defensive intangibles that you cannot teach averaging nearly two steals per game. Most of all, she comes from a fantastic family and is a terrific person away from basketball and we are overjoyed to welcome her to Big Blue Nation.”

Both players will have to sit out next season under the current NCAA transfer rules. However, the NCAA will vote in May on allowing a one-time transfer for all college athletes, which could go into effect for the 2020-21 season. If that happens, then UK suddenly looks very scary next season with these commitments to go with the return of Rhyne Howard, as well as the addition of top-25 recruit Treasure Hunt.

Matthew Mitchell has something special brewing in Lexington.