UK Hoopstars Fall Short in NCAA Semifinal Challenge

Kentucky Wildcats head coach Kenny Brooks gives instructions down court Friday, March 6, 2026, during the SEC Women's Basketball Tournament quarterfinals game against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina. | Alex Martin/Greenville News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Kentucky will not host in this year’s NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament. ESPN announced the top 16 seeds Saturday, and Kentucky was not included in that group.

The top 16 included 5 teams from the SEC: LSU, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, and Vanderbilt. Louisville was also included among the top 16. The top 16 reveal does not include seeds for each squad.

Here’s the full list: Duke Iowa Louisville LSU Michigan Minnesota North Carolina Ohio State Oklahoma South Carolina TCU Texas UCLA UConn Vanderbilt West Virginia That’s a tough break for Coach Kenny Brooks and the Wildcats. Some thought they could crack the top 16 with a pair of wins in the SEC Tournament, defeating Arkansas and Georgia, but it seems like they’re just outside that group, and Historic Memorial Coliseum will not be a host site for the opening weekend of the NCAA Tournament. The latest ESPN projection has Kentucky as a 5-seed playing in Morgantown, West Virginia.

In this projection, they would open play against the 12-seed James Madison. The unveiling of the bracket takes place Sunday night at 8 p. m.