Other Sports

No. 24 Kentucky Women’s Basketball Wins Two Straight, Topples Monmouth

Published

1 month ago

November 7, 2025

AJ Nava

Morgan Simmons | UK Athletics

The final score on Thursday, Nov. 6 was 104-46 in what was an overwhelming display of defense and offense from Kentucky.

From the very start, the Wildcats were not giving up anything easy to their opponents, tallying three blocks and three steals in the first quarter alone.

The communication issues that Kenny Brooks mentioned after last the game seemed to have been addressed, translating to a newfound communication on the court.

“Tonight I thought we were much better,” Brooks said “ We were able to take them out of some of the things they wanted to do, contest some shots, block some shots, rebound and get it out and get some opportunities.”

The now fixed issues led to the Hawks committing 15 turnovers. Kentucky also forced Monmouth to take tough shots and did not allow them room in the post either.

Monmouth made just five shots in the first half and only made one field goal in the first quarter. For the game, Monmouth shot 27% from the field, going 17-61 in the loss.

In total, the Wildcats recorded eight blocks and seven steals, mostly due in part to Clara Strack’s contribution.

You Need Buckets Too

Alongside their defense, the Wildcats scoring was consistent and often. They started the scoring early, going on a 19-point run in the first quarter.

It was in the second and third quarters where Kentucky started to create real space from Monmouth. Sophomore Lexi Blue went 6-7 from the three and did not miss in that two-quarter frame, resulting in a career-high 18 points.

The crowd was well aware of the historic game and by the fourth quarter, all were holding up three fingers and yelling “THREE!!!” every time Kentucky shot from deep.

“When my numbers called, just to be ready, that’s what I focus on each and every day,” Blue said. “There’s been times where it’s been hard but it’s nice to have a night like tonight.”

With the help of Blue’s 18 points and Amelia Hassett’s 17 points, the Wildcats scored 104 points; the first 100-point game of the Kenny Brooks era and the first time Kentucky has broke that margin since 2017.

Between the communication on defense, the outburst of scoring on offense and the improved shooting percentages from last game, Kentucky improved on nearly every category it was lacking versus Morehead on Monday.

Now, the Cats are 2-0, with a game up next for them going on the road. They’ll travel to Buffalo, New York, where they will face Buffalo in the UB Alumni Arena on Sunday, Nov. 9. The tip is set for 2:00 p.m. ET and will be streamed live on ESPN+.

Other Sports

Top-seeded Kentucky Cruises Through Wofford & No. 8 UCLA for Sweet 16 Appearance

Published

5 days ago

December 6, 2025

Kelly Doherty

Kentucky's Asia Thigpen adding their name to the Sweet 16. Photo by Marissa Gilchrist of UK Athletics.

Marissa Gilchrist | UK Athletics

This past weekend, Kentucky’s volleyball team extended its win streak to 24 straight after a quick sweep against the Wofford Terriers (17-14) and a tough 3-1 battle vs the No. 8 UCLA Bruins (19-13) to punch a ticket to a fourth straight Sweet 16 appearance.

First Round: Wofford
Kentucky’s biggest strength on the court throughout its dominant two-loss season has always been their suffocating offensive prowess, but it was the defense that would end up giving Wofford no chance of survival, emphasized by a rally era record in digs (in a three-set match) with 66.

It took a while to get Big Blue going on the offense, but 14 kills from Wildcats star Brooklyn DeLeye would keep the ball rolling and lead the sweep that volleyball fans expected from the second-ranked team in the bracket (only behind undefeated Nebraska).

Second Round: No. 8 UCLA

It’s truly impressive that Kentucky won this match 3-1. The No. 8 seeded Bruins kept the Cats on their claws throughout the whole game, including Kentucky’s two longest sets of the season, the second of which would lead to UCLA’s lone set point.

Despite the gutsier match of Kentucky’s two so far, Kentucky head coach Craig Skinner kept high praise for his team’s persistent focus and effort in the post presser.

“(UCLA’s) high end is pretty ridiculous,” said Skinner. “For us to weather the storms in the first set and pull that out and then add pressure after losing the third set, a tight one, I give (Eva Hudson & Brooklyn DeLeye) a lot of credit for carrying the offensive load and bailing us out of some situations, which was huge.”

Coming Up

Kentucky will play in the third round of the NCAA Volleyball tournament against Cal Poly, a team that upset No. 5 BYU in the first round and regional host No. 4 USC in the second round. The day and time have yet to be released.

Other Sports

No. 17 Kentucky Represents in the ACC/SEC Challenge, Dominates Miami

Published

1 week ago

December 4, 2025

AJ Nava

Morgan Simmons | UK Athletics

No. 17 Kentucky women’s basketball (9-1) traveled to Florida and beat the Miami Hurricanes (5-3) 64-48 on Wednesday, Dec. 3.

Entering the game, the Wildcats and the Hurricanes were both 1-1 in the ACC/SEC Challenge, but in the third annual challenge, the Cats got the last laugh.

Monster Third Quarter

It was a three-point game at the end of the first half, however, an explosion of offense during the third quarter created a large gap in the score that wouldn’t get close again.

The Wildcats outscored Miami 24-15 in the third and it was Tonie Morgan leading the way offensively.

Morgan scored more points in the third quarter (9) than she scored in the whole first half (7), finishing with 20 points and four assists in the win.

The Cats also got it done defensively, finishing with nine steals and four blocks as a team while also scoring 25 points off of Hurricane turnovers.

Kentucky has yet to lose a game when leading at halftime and improve to a 9-1 record with the win.

Up next for the Wildcats is a home game versus Central Michigan (5-3) on Sunday, Dec. 7 at 12:00 p.m. ET. The game will be streamed live on SEC Network+.

Other Sports

Kentucky Volleyball Earns No. 1 Seed in NCAA Tournament

Published

2 weeks ago

December 1, 2025

AJ Nava

Eddie Justice | UK Athletics

Kentucky volleyball (25-2, 15-0 SEC), who just won a ninth straight SEC championship, have officially been awarded a No. 1 seed (No. 2 overall) in the 2025 NCAA Volleyball Championship.

On Sunday, Nov. 30, the NCAA announced that Kentucky would be the No. 1 overall seed in the Lexington Regional. The squad went a perfect 15-0 in conference play this season and earned an automatic NCAA qualifying spot after winning the SEC Tournament Championship last weekend.

Kentucky is joined by Nebraska, Texas and Pittsburgh, as the top four seeds in the tournament, meaning the four teams can host all the way up to the Final Four if they make it that far.

The Final Four games and championship games will take place in the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri.

The Wildcats enter the NCAA tournament on a 22-game win streak, with their last loss taking place all the way back in September versus what was then No. 7 Pittsburgh.

The opening match in Lexington will be No. 8 UCLA (18-12) vs. Georgia Tech (16-13) in Historic Memorial Coliseum on Thursday Dec. 4 at 4:30 p.m. ET.

After the opening match, Kentucky will play Wofford (17-13) the same day at 7:00 p.m. ET. All first and second round games will be broadcasted live on ESPN+.

All-session tickets will go on sale to the general public through UKathletics.com and the UK Ticket Office on Monday at 10 a.m. ET. Single-session tickets will go on sale Tuesday at 10 a.m. ET.