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College Search
On a loud New Year’s night at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center, the University of Kentucky women’s basketball team delivered the kind of signature road win that can reshape a season and a conference race. Behind a brilliant performance from point guard Tonie Morgan and a relentless effort on the glass, No. 11 Kentucky stunned previously unbeaten No. 5 LSU 80–78 on January 1, 2026, in the Wildcats’ SEC opener in Baton Rouge.
Morgan’s step-back three-pointer with 0.5 seconds remaining turned a one-point deficit into a two-point victory, silenced an announced crowd of 11,485 and handed LSU its first loss after a 14–0 start. The win moved Kentucky to 14–1 overall and 1–0 in the SEC and immediately shifted the narrative around both the league and the national Top 25 picture.
The matchup between the Kentucky Wildcats women’s basketball program and the LSU Tigers women’s basketball team had been circled on the calendar for weeks. LSU entered the game as one of the nation’s most explosive offenses, averaging over 100 points per contest and routinely burying opponents long before the fourth quarter. According to the ESPN box score, the Tigers came in outscoring teams by more than 50 points per game and looking every bit like a national title contender (ESPN box score).
The atmosphere matched the stakes. In addition to the top-15 showdown, LSU used the night to introduce new football coach Lane Kiffin to the crowd, sending him onto the floor alongside Tigers women’s coach Kim Mulkey before tipoff. It was the kind of setting that usually favors the home team and has historically made the Pete Maravich Assembly Center a difficult place to steal a win.
Early on, it looked like LSU might simply overpower Kentucky as it had so many others. Center Kate Koval opened the scoring with a layup, and star guard Mikaylah Williams quickly followed with a pair of three-pointers to give the Tigers an early edge. Kentucky answered with a 13–0 run to seize its first lead late in the first quarter, but LSU steadied to close the period ahead 23–22.
The SEC opener settled into a heavyweight fight in the second quarter. Both teams traded baskets and short scoring bursts, with LSU’s efficient shooting matched by Kentucky’s balance and poise. At the half, the score was knotted 41–41, LSU was shooting just under 50 percent from the field and Kentucky was in the mid-40s, setting the stage for a tense second half in which every possession felt magnified.
If the first half suggested an even contest, the third quarter initially tilted the game back toward LSU. The Tigers ramped up their pace, attacked the paint and seemed to find the transition lanes that have fueled their high-scoring identity. Williams continued to put pressure on Kentucky’s defense, while Flau’jae Johnson and Amiya Joyner added downhill drives and finishing at the rim.
LSU outscored Kentucky 24–19 in the third quarter, pushing its lead to 65–60 entering the final period. The Tigers were getting the kinds of shots they wanted, still connecting on 49 percent from the floor by game’s end and showing the offensive variety that has made them one of the most dangerous teams in the country.
Yet even as LSU found rhythm, there were warning signs. Kentucky, in its second season under head coach Kenny Brooks, was controlling the backboard. The Wildcats were consistently winning 50–50 balls, extending possessions with offensive rebounds and limiting LSU to one shot at crucial moments. Those extra chances would prove decisive once the game tightened in the fourth quarter.
The most striking statistical line from Kentucky’s upset at LSU was not just Morgan’s scoring outburst, but the Wildcats’ sheer dominance on the glass. Over 40 minutes, Kentucky outrebounded LSU 45–29, including a staggering 17 offensive rebounds that translated into second-chance points and momentum-changing plays.
Forward Teonni Key and center Clara Strack were the anchors of that effort. Together, they combined for 25 rebounds, repeatedly carving out space against LSU’s frontcourt and refusing to let the Tigers’ first-shot defense end possessions. Key delivered a powerful double-double with 17 points and 16 boards, while Strack added 15 points and nine rebounds.
Rebounding was not just a frontcourt job, either. Guards like Asia Boone and Jordan Obi contributed in gang-rebounding fashion, squeezing in from the perimeter to tip balls, secure long rebounds and deny LSU the kind of easy put-backs that can ignite a home crowd. Against one of the country’s most dangerous transition teams, those extra possessions were almost as valuable as made shots.
SEC women’s basketball often comes down to physicality in the paint and the ability to control tempo through rebounds. In Baton Rouge, Kentucky showed that its path to competing for a league title runs through exactly that formula. Even on a night when LSU shot efficiently and converted 13-of-15 at the free-throw line, the Tigers could not fully overcome a 16-rebound deficit.
While Kentucky’s frontcourt set the foundation, it was Morgan who dictated the outcome. The Georgia Tech transfer delivered one of the most complete performances of the early women’s college basketball season: 24 points on 7-of-10 shooting, a perfect 3-of-3 from three-point range, and 12 assists in 39 minutes.
Morgan controlled the pace from the opening tip, probing off ball screens, collapsing the defense and then finding shooters like Boone or bigs like Key and Strack in scoring positions. Her ability to balance aggression with playmaking kept LSU from loading up on any one Kentucky option, and her composure in a hostile environment signaled the arrival of a true late-game closer for the Wildcats.
As the fourth quarter unfolded, Morgan was the steadying force behind Kentucky’s comeback. With her team trailing by five entering the period, she orchestrated the offense with patience, using high ball screens to either turn the corner or draw help and kick out. Boone provided a vital scoring punch from the perimeter, hitting five three-pointers on her way to 18 points off the bench, while Key continued to finish around the rim.
Possession by possession, Kentucky chipped away at LSU’s lead. The Wildcats’ half-court execution improved, they tightened up defensively, and the rebounding advantage began to feel more and more like the deciding edge. Eventually, Kentucky surged in front, only for LSU to mount one more push behind its All-America-caliber guard.
Down the stretch, the showdown between Morgan and LSU star Mikaylah Williams became a showcase of elite guard play in SEC women’s basketball. Williams, who finished with 26 points and eight rebounds, repeatedly answered Kentucky’s runs with timely buckets and poised plays.
With Kentucky clinging to a narrow lead in the final minute, LSU put the ball back in Williams’ hands. Driving to the perimeter, she drew contact on a three-point attempt and earned three free throws with 18.5 seconds left. Williams calmly sank all three, giving LSU a 78–77 edge and seemingly setting the stage for another Tigers home win.
On the ensuing possession, Kentucky and Brooks made the obvious choice: put the ball in Morgan’s hands and clear out. Morgan dribbled near the top of the key as the clock dipped under five seconds, used a screen to create a sliver of space, then stepped back to her right and rose for a contested three over an LSU defender.
The shot dropped cleanly with 0.5 seconds remaining, turning a one-point deficit into an 80–78 Kentucky lead. The Kentucky bench spilled onto the floor in celebration, the crowd at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center was stunned into silence, and LSU’s last-ditch inbounds play failed to produce a shot before time expired.
In an early-season landscape already filled with storylines, Morgan’s buzzer beater instantly vaulted into highlight reels and social media feeds nationwide. For the Wildcats, it was more than just a viral moment; it was tangible proof that this roster has the kind of late-game confidence necessary to navigate the SEC grind and a potential March run.
Beyond the headline moments, the box score from Kentucky vs LSU women’s basketball revealed how complete a performance the Wildcats produced to earn the upset.
LSU’s stars were productive as well. Williams led the Tigers with 26 points and eight rebounds, Johnson added 15 points, and both Joyner and Jada Richard chipped in 14. LSU shot 49 percent from the field and went 13-of-15 at the free-throw line, numbers that typically lead to a win, particularly at home.
Instead, Kentucky’s rebounding numbers and timely shot-making turned the game. According to the LSU and Kentucky postgame reports, the 45–29 edge on the boards and 17 offensive rebounds were critical separators in a two-point game (LSU athletics recap; UK postgame notes).
The ripple effects of Kentucky’s road win were fully apparent when the next Associated Press Top 25 women’s basketball poll was released on January 5. Having followed the LSU victory with a convincing 74–52 home win over Missouri, Kentucky vaulted five spots to No. 6 with a 15–1 record. LSU, after later losing again to Vanderbilt, slid to No. 12 in the rankings.
The movement underscored how significant the Kentucky vs LSU result was in the early national landscape. According to coverage of the new poll, the Wildcats were one of only two teams at that point in the season with a win over a top-five opponent, and the victory in Baton Rouge was cited as a key data point when discussing the evolving national pecking order (ESPN AP poll recap).
For Kentucky, the jump to No. 6 reflected more than just one night; it validated a 14–1 start that tied several past seasons for the best record through 15 games in program history. It also reinforced the sense around Lexington that the Wildcats have reestablished themselves as a national factor after some uneven years.
In many ways, the upset at LSU was the most vivid example yet of what second-year head coach Kenny Brooks is building in Lexington. Hired to reinvigorate the Kentucky women’s basketball program, Brooks has quickly implemented an identity built on pace, spacing and toughness on the glass.
The numbers back up the transformation. Kentucky’s 14–1 start and 6–0 record in true road games at that point in the season highlighted a team that is comfortable away from home and capable of executing in hostile environments. The victory over LSU was also the program’s first win against a top-five or top-10 opponent since Kentucky upset top-ranked South Carolina in the 2022 SEC Tournament final, a result that still resonates with fans.
Now, with Morgan emerging as a clutch playmaker, a deep and productive frontcourt led by Key and Strack, and role players like Boone stretching the floor, Kentucky has the ingredients to contend at the top of the SEC. The win in Baton Rouge offered a clear template for how the Wildcats hope to navigate the league: control the glass, share the ball, and trust Morgan to make the right decisions with the game on the line.
The Southeastern Conference has long been one of the deepest and most competitive leagues in women’s college basketball, and early results this season suggest that the 2025–26 race will be no different. Kentucky’s upset at LSU immediately injected new intrigue into the standings and the eventual SEC tournament bracket.
With LSU entering as a preseason favorite and surging out to a 14–0 start, many expected the Tigers to set the pace in the league. Instead, Kentucky’s road win showed that the Wildcats belong in the conversation with the SEC’s elite. The AP Top 25 reshuffling, which moved Kentucky to No. 6 and dropped LSU to No. 12, mirrored the way coaches and analysts began talking about the conference hierarchy.
For recruits and their families watching from afar, games like this are also instructive. They reveal how a program handles adversity, how coaches adjust in big moments and how players like Morgan, Williams, Key and Strack perform under pressure. In a league where nearly every night features a potential NCAA tournament-level matchup, displaying resilience on the road is an important signal of where a program is headed.
From a recruiting and player development standpoint, the Kentucky vs LSU women’s basketball showdown offered several takeaways:
For high school athletes studying the college game, this matchup is a case study in how different skill sets fit together. Guards who make the right reads, wings who can guard multiple positions, and bigs who rebound outside their area all carry premium value at programs like Kentucky and LSU.
If you are an athlete, parent or coach trying to understand how your profile matches up with programs at the SEC or Division I level, tools like Pathley Chat can help you explore realistic options, compare schools and see how your academic and athletic strengths align with different rosters.
It is still early in the 2025–26 women’s college basketball season, but certain results tend to stick on selection Sunday resumes. Kentucky’s road win over a top-five LSU team is one of them. On paper, it checks every box: true road game, elite opponent, dramatic finish, and a performance that was strong both statistically and contextually.
Selection committees at the NCAA level routinely reference quadrant wins, road records and performance against ranked opponents when seeding teams for March. A victory like this one not only boosts Kentucky’s metrics but also gives the Wildcats a marquee highlight that separates them from other teams in the 3–6 seed range.
For LSU, the loss is not season-defining, but it does remove a margin for error. In a conference where road trips to places like Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee and others loom, dropping a home game can slightly narrow the path to a top seed. However, LSU still has ample opportunity to regain momentum, build its resume and reassert itself as a Final Four-level contender.
Staying on top of how individual results influence the NCAA tournament picture is a key part of understanding college basketball. For recruits dreaming of playing on that stage one day, it can be useful to see how programs respond to both signature wins and tough losses over the course of a long season.
For athletes who are intrigued by the basketball culture in and around Lexington but are exploring a range of college levels, it is worth looking beyond the SEC as well. One nearby option with a rich basketball tradition at a different level of competition is Transylvania University, another Lexington-based program.
Transylvania offers a smaller-campus environment and a different competitive tier than Kentucky, but still provides an opportunity to play college basketball while pursuing rigorous academics. Comparing a major-conference program like Kentucky with a smaller institution such as Transylvania can help athletes clarify what they want from their college experience, from class sizes to campus life to the level of athletic commitment.
Watching Kentucky upset LSU on national television can make high school players dream about buzzer beaters and top-25 battles. Translating that dream into a realistic and rewarding college journey requires information, self-awareness and the right tools.
Pathley is designed to make that process smarter and more efficient. With Pathley, athletes and families can explore programs like Kentucky, LSU and hundreds of others, organize schools by fit and learn more about each campus and athletic environment. The platform’s AI assistant, available at Pathley Chat, can help you identify colleges that match your academic interests, athletic level and geographic preferences.
If you are just starting your recruiting journey or looking to take a more structured approach, you can also create a free Pathley profile to unlock AI-powered college matching and personalized insights. By understanding how high-level programs like the Kentucky Wildcats women’s basketball team are built and how they play on stages like the Pete Maravich Assembly Center, you can better target the schools where your skills and goals align.
For Kentucky, the New Year’s win at LSU marked a clear statement of intent in the SEC and beyond. For recruits and fans, it was a powerful reminder of why women’s college basketball continues to grow: elite talent, tactical depth and unforgettable moments like Tonie Morgan’s step-back three at the buzzer.
