Kentucky Will Play Maryland, Morgan State in Discover Puerto Rico Tournament
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky women’s basketball team will play Maryland (Nov. 26) and Morgan State (Nov. 28) in the Discover Puerto Rico Tournament over Thanksgiving Weekend, it was announced by head coach Kenny Brooks and Sports Tour International on Thursday.
The two games are in addition to eight other games already released to make up the current configuration of the nonconference schedule, while the program is expected to add additional nonconference games in the coming weeks:
- Monday, Nov. 3 vs. Morehead State (Historic Memorial Coliseum)
- Thursday, Nov. 6 vs. Monmouth (Historic Memorial Coliseum)
- Sunday, Nov. 9 at Buffalo (Buffalo, N.Y.)
- Tuesday, Nov. 18 vs. Purdue (Historic Memorial Coliseum)
- Wednesday, Nov. 26 vs. Maryland (San Juan, Puerto Rico)
- Friday, Nov. 28 vs. Morgan State (San Juan, Puerto Rico)
- Wednesday, Dec. 3 at Miami (Coral Gables, Fla.)
- Sunday, Dec. 7 vs. Central Michigan (Historic Memorial Coliseum)
- Friday, Dec. 19 vs. Wright State (Historic Memorial Coliseum)
- Sunday, Dec. 28 vs. Hofstra (Historic Memorial Coliseum)
Maryland earned a 25-8 overall record and reached the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 in 2024-25, falling there to second-seeded South Carolina by just four points, 71-61, in the Birmingham Region. Maryland collected six ranked wins on the season, including No. 11 Duke, No. 12 Ohio State, No. 19 Michigan State, No. 21 Alabama, No. 23 Iowa and No. 24 Minnesota.
The Wildcats only faced one of those opponents also defeating then-No. 22 Crimson Tide, 65-56, on Jan. 30 in Historic Memorial Coliseum.
The Terrapins return leading scorer Kaylene Smikle, who averaged 17.9 points per game, 4.4 rebounds per game, 1.7 assists per game and 1.5 steals per game. The Terps also return second-leading rebounder in former All-Southeastern Conference Freshman Teamer out of Arkansas (2021-22 – 2023-24) and Maryland native Saylor Poffenbarger, who averaged 9.1 ppg, 7.2 rpg and 1.9 apg last season.
From one Maryland team to another, Kentucky also will face Morgan State, who is newly led by head coach Nadine Domond. While under different direction in 2024-25, the Bears earned a 13-17 overall record and a 6-9 mark in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.
The Discover Puerto Rico Tournament will be played in the Coliseo Guillermo Angulo Carolina in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Big Blue Nation is invited to attend, with “fan package” information coming soon.
Brooks, who enters his second season at UK and his 24th season as a head coach, is coming off a sensational first year in the Bluegrass.
The 2025 Sporting News Coach of the Year hit the ground running in Spring 2024, recruiting 11 players and hiring 11 coaches and staffers that would end up being competitive in a conference that was new to almost all of them. That collection would go on to earn a 23-8 overall record in 2024-25, including an 11-5 mark in the Southeastern Conference to finish in fourth place in the loaded league. In the process, Brooks tied the late Terry Hall as the quickest head coaches in program history to reach their first 20 wins at UK (24 games). Brooks also joined Hall as just the second head coach in program history to begin their first season at UK undefeated through seven games.
The Wildcats, who earned five ranked triumphs, ranked as high as No. 8 in the Associated Press poll on the season, while they went on to earn the four seed and double bye at the SEC Tournament and the four seed and hosting privileges in the NCAA Tournament. The Cats broke or tied 12 school records before ending the season as the nation’s leader in blocks per game (7.0).
Meanwhile, star-studded point guard Georgia Amoore went on to earn consensus All-America, Nancy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year Top Five Finalist, ESPN Newcomer of the Year, SEC Newcomer of the Year and All-SEC First Team – among others – before being picked No. 6 overall in the 2025 WNBA Draft by the Washington Mystics, while his sophomore center Clara Strack earned Lisa Leslie Center of the Year Top 10 Finalist, SEC Defensive Player of the Year, All-SEC Second Team and SEC All-Defensive Team.
Strack is returning for her junior year in 2025-26, alongside frontcourt starters Teonni Key and Amelia Hassett. Coming off a pair of lower-leg injuries, Jordan Obi, an All-Ivy League First Team selection and 1,000-point scorer, and Dominika Paurová, who played in all 35 games as a freshman for Oregon State, en route to making an Elite Eight run in 2024, will return to the court this season.
Kentucky also plucked a trio of all-conference guards from the transfer portal, including All-ACC point guard Tonie Morgan, All-Conference USA and All-Defensive Team selection Josie Gilvin and All-CUSA and former CUSA Freshman of the Year honoree Asia Boone.
Brooks also signed an incoming freshman and McDonald’s All-American, Kaelyn Carroll, a 6-3 wing from Dedham, Massachusetts.
The Wildcats returned to campus and began summer workouts last week.
For more information on the Kentucky women’s basketball team, visit UKathletics.com or follow @KentuckyWBB on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
