Teonni Key will make long-awaited return at Arkansas after missing six games

After six games out due to a dislocated right elbow, Teonni Key is finally back. According to the final SEC Availability Report ahead of Kentucky vs. Arkansas, she will suit up against the Razorbacks.

Key suffered her injury back on Jan. 4 against Missouri as she was diving for a loose ball. Since then, Kentucky hasn’t quite been the same team. In that stretch with her on the bench, the Cats went just 2-4 and have lose three straight games.

Through 14 games this season, Key is averaging 11 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game. The 6-foot-5 forward’s stature and God-given athletic ability make her a tremendous asset offensively when Kentucky needs a big bucket down low, when they need her to contest shots on defense and when a game-changing rebound is there for the taking.

On top of all of that, Key is also the team’s vocal leader. The senior adopted that role early this past offseason. When someone like that goes down, it’s tough to really catch momentum.

Kenny Brooks talked about Key’s recovery process after the Georgia game, noting that she’s been practicing some lately.

““Yeah, we are [optimistic about Teonni Key], and obviously, there’s so much optimism surrounding it compared to what I saw when she went down,” Brooks explained. The day when I went down there and saw her, it’s like half her body was going one way and half of the other. That’s an exaggeration, but that’s just what it looked like, and you think of the worst.

“Her situation, she avoided surgery, she didn’t need surgery, and she’s been coming back,” the Kentucky head coach added. “She’s been doing some drills and shooting and stuff like that. So, we’re obviously going to take it as slow as possible to make sure that she’s there for the long haul. But there is optimism, especially considering where we were three weeks ago from the day tomorrow.”

Key will now be ready to go as the Cats seek a much-needed bounce back win against Arkansas.

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