No. 15 Kentucky women’s basketball officially surpassed its win total from the 2023-24 season, a season where the Wildcats only won 12 games. 

On Sunday, Jan. 5, Kentucky traveled to Nashville, Tennessee, to take on the Vanderbilt Commodores. In the end, the Cats nearly dropped triple-digit points as a team, and won their thirteenth game of the year and their second road game of the season, already one more road win than the season before.

A new chapter has started with the basketball program since Head Coach Kenny Brooks took over for Kyra Elzy this past offseason, and Brooks and the Wildcats have officially turned the page.

Returning to its former glory, the start was the Wildcats’ best in conference play in quite some time. The win against Vanderbilt marked the sixth straight game that Kentucky has scored at least 80 points, the longest streak since Nov. 10 through Nov. 27 in 2013. The Wildcats have also scored at least 90 or more points in each of their first two SEC games for the first time in program history.

In his 23rd overall season as a head coach, Brooks has managed to build this roster up and help it click on and off the floor.

Only two players returned from last year’s roster: Cassidy Rowe and Saniah Tyler. With that, Kentucky turned right around and acquired eight new faces from all positions.

”They just want to win,” Brooks said. “We put them together by design and we didn’t want to just get the absolute best players, we wanted to get the absolute best people.” 

Since the Wildcats received a No. 22 ranking in the debut 2024-25 AP Top 25 poll, they’ve continued to rise as the season progresses, despite being named a “middle of the line team” by many when compared to other teams in the SEC. Both the media and coaches preseason poll listed the Wildcats finishing eighth in the conference. 

The Cats sit as one of four SEC teams to begin conference play undefeated, standing at fourth in the SEC behind No. 2 South Carolina, No. 5 Texas and No. 6 LSU. 

The balanced play from the Wildcats has truly defined them as one of the best teams in the SEC, recording a season-high 13 steals against the Florida Gators on Jan. 9 and winning 13 out of their 14 games this season by 10 or more points. 

“I feel good with this group,” Brooks said. “They love each other, they love being around each other, they have fun, and they’re learning to fight for each other…these kids are gaining more and more confidence and their ability and ability together.”

Looking ahead, Kentucky will look to continue its current seven-game win streak and take down the Auburn Tigers on Jan. 12  in its return to Historic Memorial Coliseum after a two-game road trip. The game is set to tip-off at 3 p.m. and will air live on the SEC Network.