Kentucky women's basketball keeps improving under coach Kenny Brooks
The Kentucky Wildcats were eliminated by Texas in the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16, but under Kenny Brooks, UK women's basketball continues to improve.
FORT WORTH, TX — Kentucky's women's basketball 's second season under the watchful eye of Kenny Brooks came to a close Saturday. In 2024-25, Kentucky lost in the second round of the NCAA Tournament , falling at home to Kansas State . The Wildcats went one step further this season.
UK, the fifth seed in Region 3, lost to top-seeded Texas , 76-54, at Dickies Arena on Saturday in the Sweet 16. Though they weren't able to topple their SEC rival, this marked the Wildcats' first Sweet 16 appearance in a decade. It's only the seventh Sweet 16 showing in program history.
Another improvement from Year 1 to 2 under Brooks: His second club finished with 25 victories, two more than his maiden campaign. Bottom line: 2025-26 proved UK's upward trajectory under Brooks is continuing after it had fallen to the bottom of the SEC prior to his hire. At least relative to the preseason polls, the Wildcats' Sweet 16 ending exceeded expectations.
UK started the 2025-26 season No. 20 in the USA TODAY Sports Women’s Basketball Coaches Poll. (It was No.