LIVE BLOG: No. 16 Arkansas at No. 9 Kentucky

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This Friday, the Wildcats will host the Razorbacks in what promises to be a tightly contested SEC matchup. Kentucky has been strong all season, currently ranked No. 9 and consistently putting up scores in the low 197s. Meanwhile, No. 16 Arkansas may sit lower in the rankings, but its season-high is actually .125 higher than Kentucky’s, proving its potential to shake up higher-ranked teams.

The Razorbacks are coming off a 197.425 performance at Alabama, narrowly missing the win. With an away score to drop and last place in the conference to climb out of, Arkansas will be on a mission to boost its NQS and make a statement heading into the SEC championships. When Arkansas is at its best, it’s electric—but consistency has been a challenge. If both teams hit to their potential, expect a battle that comes down to the final routine.

Rotation 1: UK VT, AK UB

Procasky (UK): will be doing AA tonight. STUCK y-full. flares it out and gets great amplitude. tremendous. 9.875

Roberson (AK): clear hip to shaposh to a pak. maybe some soft knees and sticks the double layout. I like where this meet is heading. 9.850

Rizo (UK): great amplitude on the y-full, but didn’t have the same flare as Procasky. takes a hop back. 9.800

Swaney (AK): great first handstand, maloney to pak and another stuck double layout. maybe a small pike down. 9.825

Wilson (UK): STICKS the front pike half. chest might have been down when she landed. 9.925

Ewald (AK): blind to a nice straddled jeager. floats on her pak down to the low bar. sticks the double layout, but chest is a bit down. 9.850

Magnelli (UK): STICKS the front pike half! maybe some closed shoulders on the table. different technique onto the table than Wilsons. 9.950

Park (AK): great handstands. little close on the ray, but so high. pak down. takes a hop forward on the double lay but loved the body position. 9.850

Noonran (UK): yurchenko half on to the table front pike half off. comes up short and chest is down. kentucky will want to drop. 9.675

Jones (AK): a little over on the blind into a piked jeager. right on the finger tips. pak down to the low bar. sticks a picture perfect double layout. 9.900

Killough-Wilhelm (UK): stunning yurchenko 1.5 with a hop back. Wasn’t quite ready for the landing. 9.875

Waligora (AK): huggeee straddled jeager. great. ends with another stuck double lay. 9.925

After 1: Kentucky 49.425 Arkansas 49.375

Great rotations for both teams. Both teams look dialed in and ready to keep it up.

Rotation 2: UK UB, AK VT

Weaver (AK): big flared out yurchenko full with a small hop. maybe some leg separation on the table. 9.850

Rivelli (UK): misses the straddled jeager. does it again and connects down to a shootover. takes a small step back on the double layout. 9.250

Lang (AK): another huge yurchenko full with a hop back. lots of distance. 9.850

Riegert (UK): great handstand. catches the straddled jeager close. bail down to the low bar. blind full to a double tuck with some instabiltity on the landing. 9.750

Essenpries (AK): y-1.5 with a step back. maybe some soft knees and bent arms on the table. 9.850

Procasky (UK): toe hand to maloney to pak. great last handstand. takes a step back on the double layout. 9.850

Klein (AK): powerful y-1.5 with just a step forward. hips stayed open and great height. 9.850

Davis (UK): Great straddled jeager. bail down. beautiful, tight double layout, but takes a big hop back. 9.800

Roberson (AK): half on front layout half off with a step back. little bit of knees. 9.850

Rodriguez (UK): tkatchev to open. bail handstand to the low bar. sticks the double layout, great routine. 9.900

Price (AK): GIANT yurchenko full with a hop back. foot is on the line, but not over. 9.850

Killough-Wilhelm (UK): beautiful piked jeager into a shootover. feet are glued and she nails the double layout. magnificent. 9.950

After 2:

Rotation 3: UK BB, AK FX

Rodriguez (UK): switch leap split jump. maybe low back leg. handspring handspring layout step out. nails the side sumi. sticks the roundoff 1.5. fantastic beam music choice if I do say so myself. 9.875

Gamiao (AK): Double pike with a step back. wasn’t ready for the landing. 1.5 step out into a double full with just a step back. switch side to a popa. double tuck and chest is down. doesn’t control the step. 9.775

Brose (UK): huge front tuck and doesn’t move. slow on the front toss to back handspring connection. almost sticks the roundoff 1.5 but takes a step. 9.825

Klein (AK): front through to double tuck and slides back a bit. johnson to straddle jump. front layout to front full with just a step forward. 9.825

Lee (UK): music turns off. sticks the handspring handpring layout cold. small balance check on the straddle quarter. round off 1.5 to a deep stick. 9.900

Jones (AK): front handspring to a front double full with just a step forward. 1.5 to front layout and dances out of it. front handspring into a nice rudi. maybe a little bit out of control. 9.875

Bennet (UK): handspring layout layout. so good. floats up out of the front arial. back leg is a bit low on the switch leap. sticks the pike gainer off the end. so solid. 9.900

Waligora (AK): front layout to front double full with just a step. 1.5 to a floaty front layout. so high and controls the step. 9.950

Killough-Wilhelm (UK): front arial to backhandspring layout stepout and doesn’t move. switch to a beat jump. no wobbles. side arial to a layout 1.5 with a hop forward. love that difficult dismount. 9.875

Roberson (AK): legs a little soft on the double layout. weight is one her back foot in the lunge, but doesn;t move the front foot. front layout through to stuck double tuck! 9.925

Magnelli (UK): SO solid on the handspring layout layout. switch leap to a straddle quarter. no wobbles. textbook front arial. sticks the gainer pike off the end. truly beautiful gymnastics. 9.975. boooo

Price (AK): huge leap series to open. front layout to a front full. truly a queen. one of the best routines in the NCAA. 9.925

After 3: Kentucky 148.200 Arkansas 148.150

This meet is still anyone’s with only half a tenth separating the teams. Arkansas cannot give anything up on beam.

Rotation 4: UK FX, AK BB

Gamiao (AK): standing layout layout stepout. side sumi is so solid. sticks the roundoff 1.5. great leadooff routine. 9.925

Procasky (UK): front layout to a front full, maybe a bit short. Sky high double tuck with a very controlled step back. 9.900

Waligora (AK): right on on the handspring layout stepout. side arial. so assertive in her movements. split jump to tuck full. roundoff 1.5 to a stick. another hit! 9.925

Magnelli (UK): rudi to a layout stepout. great extension and amplitude on the leaps. Sticks the double back. maybe a little low with her chest.

Park (AK) back dive mount. so solid on the series. switch leap switch leap. back leg is low on both. side arial to a layout 1.5 and sticks!!! Arkansas is on a role.

Rodriguez (UK): rudi to a whip back. so bouncy and high. switch ring to a tour jete half. big double tuck with a step. back 1.5 to a front half to a big switch jump. great variety on those tumbling passes

Swaney (AK): perfection of the cat leap to front arial. handspring handpring layout with the first balance check of Arkansas’ beam rotation. sticks the gainer full off the side!

Killough-Wilhelm (UK): front handspring front double full and dances out of it. switch leap to a switch half ring. back 1.5 to front layout and controls the step forward. great. this meet is going to be so close!!

Weaver (AK): handspring layout is solid. small balance check on the side arial. takes a small step forward on the roundoff 1.5

Brose (UK); a biiggg double pike to open with a step back. great perfromance quality. front full to a front lay and is perfect. front double full and controls the step forward. I didnt see anything… Its a 10!!!!

Roberson (AK): Switch leap backtuck with a small balance check. Small balance check on the turn. struggling with the noise. side arial to a layout step out with a tiny check. sticks the front full off the end. 9.900

Davis (UK): Double pike with a step. The second flip is almost completely laid out. 1.5 to front layout and opens it right up. Double tuck is so controlled. 9.975. wow