Tonie Morgan Named Top Five Finalist for Nancy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Tonie Morgan, the nation’s leader in total assists, is one of five players to be included on the Nancy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year Finalist list, it was announced by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame on Monday.
This is the second straight year the University of Kentucky women’s basketball program and head coach Kenny Brooks have produced a top-five point guard.
In 33 games this season – and just nine months in Lexington and under the guidance of Brooks – Morgan is averaging 13.8 points per game, 8.15 assists per game, 3.1 rebounds per game and 0.9 steals per game. She is the only player in the nation – and has been for most of the season – averaging at least 13.8 ppg and 8.15 apg.
Her 8.15 apg are second in the nation, while she leads in total assists (269). Her 269 assists are fifth on the Southeastern Conference’s all-time list, which includes the following:
- Curtyce Knox, Texas A&M (304 in 2017)
- Martha Monk, Auburn (294 in 1981)
- Temka Johnson, LSU (289 in 2004)
- Temeka Johnson, LSU (278 in 2005)
- Tonie Morgan, Kentucky (269 in 2026)
Her 269 assists also are a single-season school record (by 56 assists) through 33 games. Meanwhile, her 8.15 apg also are on track to breaking the single-season school record, which was set by Patty Jo Hedges with 7.14 in 1982-83.
Morgan has had 10 games with at least 10 assists this season, including six against league opponents, which leads the nation for the most 10+ assists games in 2025-26. It also is the most 10+ assists games by a league player since Texas A&M’s Curtyce in 2016-17.
Of those 10+ assists games, she had three games with at least 11 assists and zero turnovers., which is the most in the nation and the most by a league player in at least two decades.
Her 16 assists game (also zero turnovers) against USC Upstate on Nov. 12 is still tied for the most in a single game in the nation this season, while it also tied the 43-year-old, single-game school record set by Hedges in 1982.
The Wildcat has 737 career assists, which is ranked third among all active players in all divisions, while the two players ahead of her are in their fifth years. Her 5.7 career assists per game are fifth among all active players in all divisions.
While Morgan spent the first handful of games directing the offense and looking for others’ shots first, she has since eased into a dynamic scoring threat.
Take out the first six games of the season and she is averaging 14.7 ppg on 48.6 percent shooting from the field and 37.8 percent from the arc. She has led the team in scoring on 10 occasions, including a five 20+ point games.
On March 4, Morgan became the second player in league history with at least 400 points (454) and 250 assists (269) in a single season (also LSU’s Tameka Johnson in 2003-04). On March 1, she also became the only SEC player – and the sixth DI women’s player – to have at least 417 points and 245 assists in one regular season since at least 2002-03.
Morgan also was named to the All-SEC Second Team and SEC Community Service Team last week.
For more information on the Kentucky women’s basketball team, visit UKathletics.com or follow @KentuckyWBB on X, Instagram, and Facebook.
