Kentucky-NKU Postgame Notes

#14/14 KENTUCKY 79, NORTHERN KENTUCKY 28 – FINAL

Team Records and Series Notes  

• Kentucky is 2-0 to begin the season and Northern Kentucky is 1-1.

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

• UK has a 956-627 all-time record.
• The Wildcats have a 2-0 mark at home in 2026-27.
  • The Cats are 557-205 all-time at home.
  • The Cats are 517-178 all-time in Historic Memorial Coliseum.
• Kenny Brooks is in his third season as the head coach of the Wildcats, holding a 50-19 record in Blue and White.
• He is 567-223 in his 25th overall season as a head coach.

• Kentucky remains the leader in the all-time meetings with Northern Kentucky, 13-4.
  • UK has won the last eight straight meetings dating back to 1980.
  • UK also leads NKU, 8-2, in Historic Memorial Coliseum.

Team Notes

• Kentucky used the starting combination Diana Collins, Asia Boone, Ajša Sivka, Me’Arah O’Neal and Clara Strack for the second time this season.
  • UK is 2-0 when using that starting combination.
  • UK won the opening tip for the for the second time this season.
  • Me’Arah O’Neal was the first player to score for Kentucky for the first time this season.
  • Savvy Swords was the first substitute off the bench for Kentucky for the second time this season.
• The Wildcats defeated the Norse, 79-28, which marked the fewest points allowed in a single game in the Kenny Brooks era.
  • It is the fewest points allowed for the program since holding Jackson State to 24 on Nov. 29, 2015.
• It was the fifth 50-point triumph of the Brooks era.
• Kentucky led Northern Kentucky, 25-3, at the end of the first period, while enjoying 50.0 percent shooting (11-22) and holding Norse to 11.1 percent (1-9).
  • UK has held each of its first opponents of the season to four points or fewer in the first quarter.
  • It is the fewest points Kentucky has held an opponent to in any quarter in the Kenny Brooks era.
• The Wildcats stretched their lead to 30 points, 42-12, at the end of halftime.
  • UK has held each of its first two opponents of the season to 15 points or fewer at the half.
• UK held NKU to fewer than double-digit points each quarter.
• UK held NKU to as many points off free throws as of field goals (14 FTs to six field goals for 14 points).
  • The six made field goals are the fewest allowed since at least 2002-03.
• UK held NKU to 13.6 percent from the field, UK’s best FG% defense since at least 2002-03.
• UK held NKU to just three assists.
• The Wildcats had the fewest combined points allowed in their first two games of a season (70 combined) since 1974-75 (66).
• Kentucky had 60 rebounds, its most since pulling down a school-record 67 against Morehead State on Nov. 18, 2015.
• UK had 13 steals, which tied for the most in the Brooks era.

Player Notes

• Asia Boone, senior guard, surpassed 100 UK career 3s with her 5-of-9 shooting effort from downtown.
  • She had a team-lead 21 points, marking her fourth 20+ point game in her career and just her second at UK.
    • She has made at least five 3s in five games in her UK career (four in 2025-26, one in 2026-27).
  • She added six rebounds, one steal and one block.
• Me’Arah O’Neal, junior forward, had 12 points.
  • She has had 10+ points in both games this season.
  • She added five rebounds, two steals and one assist.
• Clara Strack, senior center, had a full stat line with 11 points, a team-lead 10 rebounds, four blocks, three steals and two assists all in just 25 minutes.
  • She is the first SEC player to have that stat line in 25 minutes or fewer since Candace Parker against Ole Miss on March 27, 2007.
  • She has had 10+ points in both games this season.
  • It is her first double-double of the season and the 32nd of her UK career.
    • She leads the SEC in double-doubles both at UK and in her career.
    • She needs three more double-doubles to tie Leslie Nichols for second place in program history (35).
  • Strack, who already has 10 blocks through two games, is just 21 blocks from tying the Kentucky career school record.
• Diana Collins, senior guard, led the team with five assists and four steals.
• Ajša Sivka, first-year guard, also stuffed the stats with 11 points, seven rebounds and three assists.
• Jemma Amoore, junior guard, scored her first points in Blue and White with a 3 in the fourth quarter.