Kentucky Women’s Basketball Opens with a Bang, Then Hangs On to Beat Texas A&M
If you were looking for a statement start, Kentucky delivered one in emphatic fashion Thursday night. The Wildcats came out firing and never looked back-at least not in the first quarter.
With Asia Boone making her first start, Kentucky opened the game on a blistering 14-0 run, setting the tone for what would become a 75-55 win over Texas A&M. Boone wasted no time making her presence felt, knocking down a pair of early threes and injecting energy into a team that’s been searching for consistency.
The first quarter was about as clean and dominant as it gets. Kentucky shot 11-for-18 from the field, including 4-of-5 from beyond the arc.
The ball movement was crisp, the spacing was sharp, and the Wildcats racked up 10 assists on 11 made field goals. Point guard Tonie Morgan was at the heart of it all, dishing out five assists in the opening frame and breaking the school’s single-season assist record in the process-surpassing the mark Georgia Amoore set just last season.
And on the glass? Total domination. Kentucky outrebounded the Aggies 16-3 in the first quarter alone, building a 27-5 lead that looked like the makings of a blowout.
But basketball is a four-quarter game, and the final three didn’t quite match the fireworks of the first.
From the second quarter on, Kentucky struggled to find the same rhythm. The Wildcats went just 15-of-54 from the field over the final 30 minutes and were outscored 50-48 the rest of the way. Turnovers, while improved from previous outings, still crept in-Kentucky finished with 15 on the night, a number that head coach Kenny Brooks acknowledged is still higher than he’d like.
“We came out with a lot of energy, and that’s something we’ve been striving for,” Brooks said postgame. “But I think we put it on cruise control the rest of the game.
Give Texas A&M credit. They really got into us, and they never quit.”
Boone and Morgan led the way offensively with 19 points apiece. Morgan added eight assists to her stat line, continuing to show why she’s become such a critical piece for Brooks’ squad after transferring from Georgia Tech. Her record-breaking assist night wasn’t just about the numbers-it was about the connection she’s building with her coach and teammates.
“Tonie and I were as connected tonight as we’ve been all year,” Brooks said. “She’s not just working on her shot-she’s working on every aspect of being a great point guard. I’m really proud of her.”
Morgan, for her part, called the moment “surreal,” and made sure to credit her teammates for knocking down shots that helped her reach the milestone.
“It makes it easy on the court when we’re on the same page,” she said. “Coach knows what I’m thinking, and it just makes the game flow better.”
Clara Strack added a gritty double-double-17 points and 13 rebounds-despite a tough shooting night (8-for-21). It marked her 13th double-double of the season, a testament to her ability to impact the game even when her shot isn’t falling. Teonni Key chipped in with 11 rebounds of her own, though she struggled offensively, finishing with seven points on 2-of-8 shooting.
Brooks emphasized the importance of continuing to build, especially as the season heads into its most critical stretch.
“At this point, it’s always good to get a win,” he said. “Our goal is to keep fighting, keep improving, and be playing our best basketball when it really matters.”
There’s no question Kentucky showed flashes of that potential Thursday night-particularly in that electric first quarter. The challenge now is sustaining it. Because if the Wildcats can bottle that early energy and stretch it across four quarters, they’re going to be a tough out down the stretch.