Kentucky-Morehead State Postgame Notes

#14/14 KENTUCKY 85, MOREHEAD STATE 42 – FINAL

Team Records and Series Notes  

• Kentucky is 1-0 to begin the season and Morehead State is 0-1.

• The University of Kentucky women’s basketball program is in its 53rd season of varsity status.

• UK has a 955-627 all-time record.
• The Wildcats have a 1-0 mark at home in 2026-27.
  • The Cats are 556-205 all-time at home.
  • The Cats are 516-178 all-time in Historic Memorial Coliseum.
• Kenny Brooks is in his third season as the head coach of the Wildcats, holding a 49-19 record in Blue and White.
• He is 566-223 in his 25th overall season as a head coach.

• Kentucky remains the leader in the all-time meetings with Morehead State, 35-4.

• UK is 45-8 all-time in season openers, and it has won 18 in a row.
• UK is 49-4 all-time in home openers, and it has won 18 in a row.

Team Notes

• Kentucky used the starting combination Diana Collins, Asia Boone, Ajša Sivka, Me’Arah O’Neal and Clara Strack.
  • UK is 1-0 when using that starting combination.
  • UK won the opening tip.
  • Clara Strack was the first player to score for Kentucky.
  • Savvy Swords was the first substitute off the bench for Kentucky.

• Kentucky defeated Morehead State by 43 points, 85-42.
  • Those 42 points were the fewest points allowed in a season opener since holding Alabama State to 35 on Nov. 7, 2018.
• The Wildcats are 13-0 when they hold opponents to 50 points or fewer and 28-0 when they hold opponents to 60 points or fewer in the Kenny Brooks era.
• UK is 24-1 under Kenny Brooks when it scores at least 80 points.
• The Wildcats led the Eagles, 18-4, at the end of the first quarter.
  • The Cats enjoyed an 11-0 run going into the first media timeout.
  • The Cats went 47.1 percent from the field (8-of-17) in the first stanza, while holding their opponent to just 16.7%.
• Kentucky stretched its lead to 42-15 at halftime.
  • UK played nine different players in the first half, with eight different scorers, including leading-scorer Strack (13).
  • UK had just three 3s in the first half, while Ajša Sivka went 2-of-2 from the arc.
• UK took a 34-point lead over MSU at the end of the third quarter, 63-28.
• Six players scored in double-digits for the first time since playing at Vanderbilt on Feb. 22, 2026.
  • Clara Strack (17), Diana Collins (12), Ajša Sivka (12), Maddyn Greenway (12), Me’Arah O’Neal (10), Emily McDonald (10).
  • In each year under Kenny Brooks, Kentucky has produced at least one game with at least six double-digit scorers.
• The Wildcats – who played all 11 available players – didn’t play anyone for more than 27 minutes.
• UK held MSU to 30.9 percent from the field.
  • UK held seven opponents to 31.0 percent shooting or worse in 2025-26.

Player Notes

• Clara Strack, senior center, had a team-high 17 points.
  • She added nine rebounds, six blocks, three assists and a steal.
    • Her six blocks are tied for third in a single game in program history. She now has the school record, the second-most and the third-most on that list.
  • She became the second Division I women’s basketball player since 2002-03 to have at least 17 points, nine rebounds, six blocks, three assists and one steal, while playing 22 minutes or less in a game (also Breanna Stewart of UConn against Houston on Jan. 7, 2014).
• Diana Collins, senior guard, had 12 points on 5-of-5 from the field and 2-of-2 from the arc.
• Ajša Sivka, first-year guard, had 12 points on 3-of-6 from the field, 2-of-2 from the arc and 4-of-4 from the line.
  • She added a team-lead eight assists, three rebounds, a block and a steak.
• Me’Arah O’Neal, junior forward, added on 10 points, seven rebounds, two assists and one block.
• All three freshmen scored their first career points in the season opener, including Maddyn Greenway (12), Emily McDonald (10) and Savvy Swords (6).
  • Swords added a team-high 11 rebounds, including nine offensive rebounds.