Kentucky Women Play at Miami in SEC/ACC Challenge

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky women’s basketball team will play Miami in Coral Gables, Florida, on Wednesday, Dec. 3 as part of the third-annual Southeastern Conference/Atlantic Coast Conference Challenge.

Kentucky coach Kenny Brooks and junior Clara Strack (Photo by Jamie H. Vaught)

Kentucky leads the all-time meetings with Miami, 6-2, in a series that began in 1985, while Kentucky narrowly trails Miami in games played in Coral Gables, 1-2.

The last time the two teams met was on Dec. 10, 2017, when the Wildcats took a 65-54 loss on the road.  The Wildcats won the two meetings before that in 2016 and 2001 both at home. The only time the Cats defeated the Canes in Coral Gables was on Dec. 6, 1986, 71-55.

The tip time and network designation for the SEC/ACC Challenge matchup is still tentative.

Prior to joining head coach Kenny Brooks in Lexington last spring, Josh Petersen served two seasons as an assistant coach at Miami (2022-23, 2023-24). In Petersen’s first season with Miami, primarily working with the post players, the Hurricanes reached their first Elite Eight in program history.

The Wildcats have a 1-1 record in the previous two SEC/ACC Challenges, defeating Boston College at home two seasons ago before falling at North Carolina in Carmichael Arena last December.

Despite the loss in Chapel Hill, that was the only blemish on Kentucky’s nonconference record last season – a team that was almost completely brand new top-down.

Brooks’ first season at the helm of the Kentucky Wildcats was nothing short of sensational, including getting off to a 16-1 start.

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 team is due back to campus late next week before summer workouts start up in late June.

The remainder of the 2025-26 Kentucky women’s basketball schedule will be released at a later date.