When Makayla Epps signed with UK back in 2013, Cats fans knew her as “Anthony Epps’ daughter.”

As some may remember, Anthony was the starting point guard on the 1996 National Championship team known as the “Untouchables,” coached by now-Louisville head coach Rick Pitino.

With her father starting for one of the best teams in college basketball history, it’s not hard to understand why it was tough to escape her father’s shadow, but she wanted to show the nation she was capable of making a name for herself.

As a four-year varsity player for Marion County High School, Makayla quickly became a hot commodity across the nation by a number of schools.

It didn’t take long before the blue and white No. 25 jersey brought back pleasant memories  the Big Blue Nation. Her freshman year, she scored 16 points against South Carolina, along with several game-clinching performances such as hitting two big threes to help defeat Louisville, along with providing crunch-time help in four overtimes against Baylor.

Though she didn’t “dominate” many games her freshman year, Makayla Epps showed flashes of potential, and excited the fan base for the future of UK Hoops.

By the end of her’s sophomore year, Epps was one of the most electrifying players in the country. On Feb. 12, 2015, she tied for the second most points scored in UK Hoops history with 42 against Mississippi State, and later scored 31 points in the SEC tournament, yet again against the Bulldogs.

She earned All-SEC honors after finishing the year scoring 14.9 points per game, good for first at UK and fifth in the SEC.

For a sophomore, Epps showed incredible leadership on the court, something the team would desperately need the following year with veteran starting guard Jennifer O’Neill graduating.

Junior year, Epps was forced to carry a large load for the entire team, and without a doubt became the star of the show. At the beginning of the year, the other two members of the 2013 signing class transferred out of the program.

There was still a lot of talent on the roster, but Epps knew she had to carry more weight than she was expected to before the year began, and she did exactly that.

The ex-Marian County star managed to win her second consecutive All-SEC honor after averaging 16.3 points per game, 4.5 assists, and 4.7 rebounds a game.

This season, she also became the 31st player in UK women’s basketball history to join the 1,000-point club. She led the team in points in 13 of 27 regular season games played this season, including nine games with more than 20 points.

As the 2015-16 regular season comes to a close, UK Hoops is being discussed as a major contender in the NCAA tournament, and Epps is one of the key reasons.

Whether it be making a tough shot on a fast break and drawing a foul, or hitting a major three when the team needs her most, Epps always finds a way to help cut a deficit or extend a lead.

With each game, she shows signs of improvement, and looks to have exactly what the team needs to make a deep run in the tournament, possibly getting past the Elite Eight mark, a barrier UK head coach Matthew Mitchell has struggled to get get through during his tenure at UK.

Regardless of how the season ends this year, Epps has left her mark on the team and become a fan favorite for all of the Big Blue Nation. She has captivated the media with her fantastic play, and is certainly a cause for major headache for rival fans and coaches.

Though Anthony Epps will always be remembered by the Big Blue Nation for his contributions to the UK men’s team during the incredible 1996-1998 championship runs, it is a new No. 25 that is captivating not just the UK audiences, but the entire country.

Makayla Epps was known as “Anthony Epps’ daughter,” coming to UK, but instead, Anthony Epps is now known as “Makayla Epps’ father,” a description she has rightfully given him.