In this first session today, the SEC, Pac-12, and Big Ten are all represented by some big hitting teams. Taking the floor today is quite a range, from the seventh-ranked team in the country to the 27th. Kentucky should have an easy time of taking the top score today, especially since the Wildcats are hot off a third-place finish in the SEC Championship, a program best.
Host Arkansas will certainly hope to slide into a comfortable second today, but if Kentucky leaves the door open with dropped tenths here and there, the 198 Razorbacks could make moves and build momentum toward the final. On the other hand, Arkansas didn’t have its best showing at that conference clash but sometimes being off your game can make you a little hungrier, a little sharper when the stakes are higher. Which is for the best when you’re closing out your session on beam. No pressure, right?
So, do Arizona and Nebraska have a shot today? There’s always a chance in gymnastics. Catching release moves, staying on the beam, not stumbling out of bounds isn’t a given for even the best teams any day. And that’s just what Arizona and Nebraska need to capitalize on this session.
Kendall Whitman has been making a big splash for George Washington this season, peaking at the right times and hitting when it counts. Likewise, Maya Peters can go absolutely lights out on beam. In the anchor spot. As a freshman.
You can watch on ESPN+ and I’ll let you know where you can keep an eye on live scores — with Virtius, obviously.
Rotation 1: Kentucky VT, Nebraska UB, Arizona BB, Arkansas FX
Hype videos to kick things off!
Touch has started!
Procasky (UK): Y full, soft knees, I’d say stuck.
Rizo (UK): Y full, much cleaner, stuck! OOhhhh Kentucky is here to wear a gorgeous leo and stick vaults and they have that leo on already.
Patterson (UK): FHS front pike half, the height on that was incredible, just a step.
Magnelli (UK): FHS front pike half, gorgeous.
Worley (UK): Y 1.5, great distance, just a step forward.
Wilson (UK): FHS front pike half out, tiny tiny step to the back and side. Lovely!
Bácskay (Nebraska): Pak, good hs to follow, toe on shaposh half, great from, double lay, takes a few steps back.
Jencks (Nebraska): Long pause. Toe on tkatchev to bail, smooth. Good hs before dismount. Double lay, stuck!
Colombo (Nebraska): Blind to piked jaeger, good. Leg sep on the pak. Blind to double tuck, some form in the air, sticks.
Simpton (Nebraska): Toe on shaposh. Pak, great form on both. Quick half turn. Almost stuck double lay, just kind of shuffled a foot.
Spence (Nebraska): Toe on shaposh to pak toe circle toe on shaposh half. Lovely. Double tuck, stuck!!
Davis (Nebraska): Shy on that first hs, toe on shaposh to bail to hs, good form throughout. Sticks the double lay!
Whitman (GW): Piked gienger, leg sep. Bail to hs, leg sep and a bit archy. Blind to 1.5, stuck!
Fears (Arizona): BHS LOSO, no issue. Tiny bobble on that full turn. Good head release on that ring stag. RO 1.5 lay, small hop.
Herry (Arizona): Check on the full turn. BHS loso, great. Side somi. Straddle to straddle half, nice. BHS 1.5, stuck.
Mueller (Arizona): Hits the aerial to loso. Switch to straddle, tiny check but excellent extension on that. RO 1.5, hop.
Castles (Arizona): Straddle quarter was nice. BHS loso, comes off. Wobbles on that double wolf. RO 1.5, clicks feet together in a small shuffle. Judges currently chatting.
Martin (Arizona): BHS loso with a small check with her shoulder at the end. Front aerial, chest down to the side, keeps it on. Just a step forward on that 1.5 dismount.
Deets (Arizona): Beautiful switch side. Cat to front kick over. Great height on that. Switch to gainer full off side, small hop.
Peters (GW): Wolf 1.5, good. Side aerial to loso, no problems there. Cat to switch to straddle. She’s a confident beam worker. Switch to gainer pike off end, stuck!
Gamiao (Arkansas): High double pike. The entire arena already clapping along. Tuck through pass, great. Good form on that double full. Double tuck to end could’ve been a TOUCH cleaner but good start for the home team.
Klein (Arkansas): Front through to double tuck, takes a sliding lunge there but controls it. Bigger lunge out of that double pike but good height in the air. Just a lot of energy.
Jones (Arkansas): Switch ring looked good. Had excellent power in that opening pass. RO 1.5 to front lay has excellent rise. FHS Rudi, beautiful control.
Smith (Arkansas): Front lay through to double tuck, the lunge is purely for show at the end. Switch side to popa, no notes. Double pike, little wobble in that lunge but great control otherwise. Faaabulous routine.
Williams (Arkansas): FTDB, slow and controlled lunge. Good height in the air, just a touch of form break with the feet. RO 1.5 to the floatiest front lay. Switch side to popa, good. Double tuck to close, almost puts her foot out but keeps that heel in.
Price (Arkansas): Double lay, great control there. Switch side popa series is unreal with how high that is. Love her choreo. Floaty front lay in her last pass. That was incredible.
After 1: Arkansas 49.450, Kentucky 49.350, Nebraska 49.225, Arizona 48.900
Arizona didn’t do itself any favors, beam wasn’t bad but it wasn’t the solid rotation that it needed to be. That being said, all the other teams still need to face the beam, and now it’s done and behind the GymCats. Arkansas captured some magic on floor, a few overzealous tumbling passes but nothing major and no OOBs. Kentucky’s big vault rotation didn’t leave much on the table with some pretty strong landings. Nebraska’s bar form may not have helped it capitalize on the bigger scores Kentucky and Arkansas put up, but it’s only the first rotation. Remember though, those little tenths matter. Especially if there ends up being a tie.
Rotation 2: Arkansas VT, Kentucky UB, Nebraska BB, Arionza FX
Weaver (Arkansas): Y full, stuck!! She holds it for a long time. Lovely start.
Smith (Arkansas): Y full, height, form, distance all fab, just a hop.
Price (Arkansas): Y full, doesn’t move her feet and fights to keep that stick with her toes.
Essenpries (Arkansas): RO 1.5, lands with legs a little locked, steps to the side.
Klein (Arkansas): Y 1.5, lots of power, big step forward.
Williams (Arkansas): Y 1.5, stuck! Arkansas fans on their feet.
O’Shea (NIU): Just caught the end, but good power!
Davis (UK): Blind to straddle jaeger, good. Bail to hs. Dobule lay, small bounce, great body shape.
Rizo (UK): Good first hs. Blind to straddle jaeger but hits her wrist and can’t catch it. Ahhh, that had some good turnover too. Bail to hs, good. Double lay, stuck.
Rodriguez (UK): Shy on that first hs. Tkatchev okay. Bail to hs good. Double lay, stuck! Kentucky working hard to make sure it can drop the fall.
Procasky (UK): Toe on shaposh to pak, good. Double lay, takes a step back.
Bunn (UK): Straddle jaeger, bail to hs. Double lay, stuck! One more for Kentucky to get out of the pressure here.
Worley (UK): Tkatchev, good! Pak, quick half turn. FTDB, small step forward.
Sikon (Nebraska): Candle stick mount, good. I love those. No problem on the loso series. Cat to switch half. BHS tuck 1.5, good.
Jencks (Nebraska): BHS loso. Beautiful full turn, it was so elegant. Kick over with a little wiggle as she stood it up. Switch to straddle half, great! RO 1.5 lay stuck.
Bácskay (Nebraska): BHS BHS loso, hits that cold. RO lay double full, stuck!! Great routine.
Hall (Nebraska): BHS loso. Front aerial, chest down, fights, grips with her toes, but comes off. Kentucky and Nebraska both with a fall that they’ll want to drop this rotation. Stuck 1.5 lay!
Spence (Nebraska): Candlestick mount. Wolf has no issue. Hits her series. Switch to split, great extension. RO 1.5 lay, stuck!
McClelland (Nebraska): Beautiful wolf turn. BHS loso is good. Beat to ring stag. BHS to tuck 1.5, hops. But Nebraska can drop that fall.
Whitman (GW): Front aerial to round off, good! Loooove that. Switch split to split jump, good. Gainer front full, just a small step back.
Strom (Arizona): Rudi to the absolute most floaty LOSO to ever exist. Cat to switch to switch ring half. RO 1.5 to front full, excellent.
Fears (Arizona): Double tuck. Rudi chest just a touch down but good control on that landing, she definitely wanted to stick that cold. RO 1.5 lay to front full and smoothly hops into that lunge.
Deets (Arizona): Front lay to front full. Tour jete half to popa, good. Double tuck with a biiig bounce back.
Herry (Arizona): Double tuck, controlled lunge. Good height on her leap series. RO 1.5 to front lay, casually lunges with ease. Double pike.
Mueller (Arizona): Double pike, great control there. Swithc side to popa, nice. Love the Chicago music. 1.5 to front lay. Chest down on that double tuck but good otherwise.
Hargrove (Arizona): FTDB, controlled lunge. Whip half to front full. Fun head stand choroe, I really like this routine. Double tuck, chest down, lunges with her front foot.
After 2: Arkansas 98.825, Kentucky 98.375, Nebraska 98.350, Arizona 98.000
Kentucky and Nebraska both had to contend with the pressure of dealing with a fall this rotation but both managed to drop them. Arizona hasn’t made up a ton of ground, but Arkansas continues to put space between it and the rest of the teams with ease. What this really will be is a battle for that second spot for the final on Saturday. Kentucky and Nebraska aren’t separated by much at all. The Wildcats haven’t had too much trouble on beam this season aside from one high 48, they’ve cruised through in the 49s. The Cornhuskers can match those beam scores on floor, though. It is going to stay close unless there are major mistakes.
Rotation 3: Arizona VT, Arkansas UB, Kentucky BB, Nebraska FX
Greever (Arizona): Y full, hop back.
Strom (Arizona): Y full, hop. Her hands were faaaar back on the table.
Castles (Arizona): Y full, medium hop back.
Hargrove (Arizona): Y 1.5, big step back, doesn’t quite get the rotation around as well.
Martin (Arizona): Y full, step hop forward.
Fears (Arizona): Y full, nice flair, has a hop, cleanest of the bunch.
Zois (GW): Y full, flairs it out, powerful hop back.
Swaney (Arkansas): Toe on tkatchev, good turnover. Shy on that last hs. Double lay, stuck!
Pratt (Arkansas): Toe on tkatchev, good. Double lay, small hop back.
Drotar (Arkansas): Shaposh bail to hs, good. Good last hs. Double lay, stuck!
Linton (Arkansas): Ahhh, falls on her shaposh. That’ll put pressure on the rest of the line up to hit. Pak with some leg sep. Great last hs though. Double lay, hop shuffle back.
Scalzo (Arkansas): Good first hs. Blind to straddle jaeger to bail, good! Double lay, stuck!! One more for Arkansas to get back on track.
Jones (Arkansas): Razorbacks need this to be a hit routine. Blind to piekd jaeger, caught! Pak, great. Half turn a little archy but nothing major. Double lay, stuck! The fall can be dropped.
Al-Ashari (NIU): Good hs. Blind to straddle jaeger, good. Bail to hs. Double lay, tiniest hop forward!
Rodriguez (UK): Switch to split, good extension. BHS BHS loso. Smooth control on that full turn. Side somi. RO 1.5 lay, small hop forward.
Brose (UK): Front tuck, great. Front kick over to bhs. Switch to beat jump. RO 1.5 lay, stuck.
Bunn (UK): Take her triple series right to the edge but looked great. RO double full, hops.
Patterson (UK): BHS LOSO. Front aerial, small check. Cat to switch side. Gainer off end, stuck!
Worley (UK): Cat to switch side. Front aerial to bhs to loso, no issue. RO 1.5 lay, stuck!
Magnelli (UK): BHS loso triple series, great. Switch to straddle quarter, absolutely lovely. Front aerial. Piked gainer off end, good.
Jencks (Nebraska): Front lay to rudi, chest down but she picks that up quickly. Switch leap series to wolf full, good. Double tuck, little bit of a rebound into the lunge there.
Rourke (Nebraska): Double tuck. Switch half to popa to wolf full, great height. Double pike.
Bácskay (Nebraska): Sticks her first series front tuck cold. Switch side to popa. Double pike.
Comin (Nebraska): FTDB, chest a little bit down but good height and form in the air. RO 1.5 to front lay, good rise.
McClelland (Nebraska): Quick twisting on that opening pass, looked good in the air. Great height on her leap series. Rudi to loso.
Spence (Nebraska): Love a jazzy, sassy floor music. Front through to double tuck. Double wolf, she spins FAST. Switch ring looked good, great extension throughout the leap series. Double pike, good!
Whitman (GW): FHS front double tuck, foot juuuust went out of bounds. I love that pass. FHS front double full front lay, barely has to lunge. Her front tumbling is unreal. Switch side to popa to floor choreo. Obsessed. Fhs front double full. CASUAL.
After 3: Arkansas 147.975, Kentucky 147.725, Nebraska 147.575, Arizona 146.925
These top three teams have some pressure to deal with in this last rotation. Arkansas wants a lights out rotation, because small bobbles, steps here and there, just won’t cut it if Nebraska decided to bring it home on vault and Kentucky brings down the house on floor. There’s no margin for error here.
Rotation 4: Nebraska VT, Arizona UB, Arkansas BB, Kentucky FX
Davis (Nebraska): Y full, glues her feet to the mat.
Hall (Nebraska): Y full, some form in the air, small hop.
Sikon (Nebraska): Y full, chest a touch down, but doesn’t move her feet.
Bácskay (Nebraska): Y 1.5, some leg form in the air but great height and distance on that, small hop forward.
Comin (Nebraska): Y 1.5, wanted that stick but under rotated it a touch, takes a step to the side.
Spence (Nebraska): Y 1.5, ah, she sits it down.
Whitman (GW): FHS fhs front, great height.
Mueller (Arizona): Toe on tkatchev, but just soars right over and past the bar. Ahh. Bail to hs. Sticks her double lay.
Hargrove (Arizona): Tkatchev. Bail to hs. Sticks her dismount! Working to erase that fall.
Martin (Arizona): Toe on shaposh, pak. Half turn. Step back on the dismount.
Deets (Arizona): Tkatchev, bail to hs. Great last hs. Double lay, stuck!
Derr (Arizona): Good hs. Almost doesn’t make that giant over, good tkatchev, holds her hs in that half turn on the low, just about sticks the ftdb.
Fears (Arizona): Tkatchev is sky high. Great handstands. Bail. Double lay, stuck!
Gamiao (Arkansas): LOSO, loso, a bit of a dropped shoulder and foot movement but she finesses it. Side somi. Switch to split jump. RO 1.5, small step back.
Jones (Arkansas): Smooth and beautifully connected mixed triple series. Split to ring jump, lovely. Sticks her dismount!!
Swaney (Arkansas): Cat to front aerial. BHS loso. Switch to split jump, swings her arms through the bottom slowly to keep it controlled, no wobble. BHS 1.5, stuck.
Weaver (Arkansas): Hits the loso series no issue. Straddle to ring stag. Side aerial. RO 1.5, stuck-ish, just moves her feet together into the salute pretty quick.
Klein (Arkansas): Side aerial loso, good. Beautiful straddle jump. RO 1.5, small hop forward. Arkansas really bringing it home this rotation.
Linton (Arkansas): Hits the wolf turn. Wobble on the triple series, but no big worries here. Arkansas has had a strong rotation so far. Solid leap series. RO 1.5, hop forward.
Rodriguez (UK): Front double full to start, kind of finishes the twisting in her lunge. Double tuck, chest down, slides back. RO 1.5 lay to barani, rebound choreo jump.
Wilson (UK): RO 1.5 to front lay. Kind of a wonky wolf jump in her leap series but fine otherwise. Front through to double tuck, chest down and takes a step forward, good overall.
Magnelli (UK): 1.5 to loso, some knees on that but may have been my angle. Switch side to popa has stunning over extension throughout. Double pike, big lunge back.
Davis (UK): Double pike. Switch side, popa.RO 1.5 to front lay, good. Double tuck, opens up at the end, nice.
Brose (UK): Double pike, lunge is for show. Good position in her leap series. FHS front double full, controlled.
Worley (UK): She’s closing out this session. Full in, beautiful, and so high. Front full to front lay, clean. Double tuck, doesn’t look like she moved her feet. Great routine!
FINAL: Arkansas 197.325, Kentucky 197.100, Nebraska 196.600, Arizona 195.600
Arkansas and Kentucky will advance!
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Live blog by Allison Freeman
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