Big Blue Preview: No. 22 Kentucky Women’s Basketball Plays Host to USC Upstate
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The No. 22 University of Kentucky women’s basketball program will play host to USC Upstate in its season opener on Monday, Nov. 4 at 5 p.m. ET in the newly renovated Historic Memorial Coliseum. It will mark UK’s 51st season of varsity status, and its first under head coach Kenny Brooks.
Historic Memorial Coliseum commemorative tickets, rally towels and clear bags will be given out to fans in attendance. Big Blue Nation can still purchase single-game tickets to the season opener and all 16 of the program’s home games this season.
To shop single-game tickets, click here. For a full list of the program’s nonconference promotional lineup, click here.
Darren Headrick will have the radio call for UK Sports Network in 2024-25, his eighth straight season as the voice of the Wildcats. His call will be carried on 98.5 FM ICONS (Lexington), 790 AM WKRD (Louisville) and on SiriusXM Channel 161 or 191.
Big Blue Nation also can watch the game on SEC Network+, with fan-favorites Jeff Piecoro and Christi Thomas on the broadcast.
Monday’s season opener will mark several “firsts” for the program.
While it is the first game of the 51st varsity season, it also will be Kenny Brooks’ first game as the head coach at Kentucky. Moreover, it will be the program’s first game in the $82 million renovated facility, while it also will mark the first time the program has taken the court with reserved season tickets sold out. More than 3,200 fans purchased women’s basketball season tickets in 2024-25.
The Wildcats nearly overhauled their roster for the season, which features 11 newcomers and two returners in junior guards Saniah Tyler and Cassidy Rowe. Georgia Amoore, an All-American point guard, followed Brooks from Virginia Tech to Kentucky, and has already received some preseason recognition, this time in Blue and White. Last week, Amoore was named to the Nancy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year Watch List and the Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Women’s College Player of the Year Watch List. She also was tabbed to the Preseason All-Southeastern Conference First Team by Coaches and Media.
UK will sport one of the oldest backcourts in the nation in Amoore and redshirt senior Dazia Lawrence. The 23-year-old guards scored more than 18.0 points per game apiece in 2023-24; Amoore at Virginia Tech (18.8) and Lawrence at Charlotte (18.2). Meanwhile, Amelia Hassett, a junior transfer from Eastern Florida State College, turned in 19.0 points per game last season.
Clara Strack, a 6-5 sophomore center, also followed Brooks from Blacksburg to Lexington. She played in all 33 contests, starting twice at center last season. She made her first career start in the NCAA Tournament against Marshall in the first round, going 7-for-7 from the field and scoring 17 points. Against Baylor in the second round, she recorded a double-double on 18 points and 10 rebounds.
Brooks approaches his Kentucky debut with a 517-204 record across 22 seasons at James Madison University (2003-16) and Virginia Tech (2017-24). In 22 seasons as a head coach, he’s allowed just one losing season in 2003-04. He’s had 18 20-plus win seasons.
Shortly after putting the final touches on his roster for 2024-25, he announced that graduate guard Jordan Obi (Penn) and sophomore guard Dominika Paurová (Oregon State) would be out indefinitely because of lower-leg injuries sustained over the summer.
Kentucky has challenged USC Upstate four times in program history, boasting a 4-0 record in the all-time series, which began in 2007. The Wildcats won the last meeting, 82-54, inside Rupp Arena on Nov. 11, 2023. The two teams have never before played each other in back-to-back seasons.
For more information on the Kentucky women’s basketball team, visit UKathletics.com or follow @KentuckyWBB on X, Instagram, and Facebook.
