Kentucky Opens Its Season Tonight: No. 14 Wildcats Host Morehead State at Memorial Coliseum (6:30 PM ET, SECN+)

It counts now. No. 14 Kentucky opens the 2026-27 season tonight against Morehead State in Historic Memorial Coliseum, with tip at 6:30 p.m. ET on SEC Network+. It's year three of the Kenny Brooks era, and the first real look at a roster rebuilt largely through the portal and a top recruiting class.

WHERE TO WATCH & LISTEN
TV/stream: SEC Network+ (ESPN app), 6:30 p.m. ET. Radio: the Listen Live link on UK Athletics' schedule page. Venue: Historic Memorial Coliseum, Lexington. Follow along on BigBlueTimes.com.

HOW KENTUCKY GOT HERE
UK went 25-11 last season and 12-3 at home, shooting 44.4% from the field and 33.0% from three (AP). Only two rotation players are back: 6-5 senior center Clara Strack, who has started all 67 games of her Kentucky career (On3), and guard Asia Boone, who made 96 threes at 36.5% last season. Strack's preseason honors include a unanimous All-SEC first-team pick (Kentucky Wildcats Wire).

The newcomers have real résumés. Forward Me'Arah O'Neal averaged 13.6 points and 6.4 rebounds at Florida. Ajša Sivka was the No. 10 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft. Diana Collins comes from Alabama (8.4 points, 2.4 assists), and Maddyn Greenway is a McDonald's All-American freshman. Brooks calls Strack, O'Neal and Sivka his "6-5s." UConn transfer Ayanna Patterson (knee sprain) sat out last Saturday's scrimmage against No. 23 Illinois, so her status for tonight is unclear (On3).

WHO MOREHEAD STATE IS
This is the first game of the Jackie Alexander era for the Eagles, and it's a nearly all-new team. Only senior Millie Pearson returns from last year's 18-15 squad, which went 13-7 in the Ohio Valley Conference (Morehead State Athletics). The Eagles were 7-10 on the road last season and allowed 65.2 points per game (AP).

THE SERIES
Kentucky leads 34-4 and has won 17 straight, a streak that began in 1990. Last year's opener was also against Morehead State, a 75-59 UK win in Memorial Coliseum on Nov. 3, 2025 (UK Athletics).

KEYS FOR KENTUCKY
1. Feed the 6-5s. Strack, O'Neal and Sivka give UK a size edge that a brand-new Morehead State roster can't match.
2. Settle the point. With Georgia Amoore and Tonie Morgan gone, the point guard job is by committee to start (On3). Clean ball handling matters more than who starts.
3. Boone's range. Her 96 threes last year stretch the floor for everyone inside.

Our Take: On paper this is the softest opener a ranked team could ask for. What matters is how quickly the new pieces look like a team. A comfortable win with Strack dominating and the guards keeping turnovers down would be a strong first step.

Sources: ESPN game page, AP preview, UK Athletics: opener announcement, UK Athletics WBB schedule, Morehead State Athletics preview, Kentucky Wildcats Wire, On3, UK Athletics WBB roster