Kentucky Snaps Skid, Tonie Morgan Sets Assist Record in Dominant Win Over Texas A&M
After a rocky stretch over the past month, Kentucky women’s basketball badly needed a bounce-back performance. And on Thursday night at Memorial Coliseum, they got exactly that-plus a little history.
Facing a Texas A&M team fresh off an upset of No. 23 Alabama, Kentucky came out swinging and never really looked back, cruising to a 75-55 win that snapped a two-game losing streak and pushed the Wildcats to 19-7 overall and 6-6 in SEC play. But while the win was big, it was Tonie Morgan who stole the spotlight with a milestone that puts her name atop the Kentucky record books.
Tonie Morgan Makes History
Morgan came into the night needing just two assists to tie the program’s single-season assist record. She didn’t waste any time.
By the end of the first quarter, she had five points and five assists-including the one that mattered most. Her third dime of the night gave her 214 assists on the season, surpassing the previous mark of 213 set by Georgia Amoore last year.
Here’s the kicker: Morgan did it in just 26 games. Amoore needed 31 to get there.
That kind of efficiency isn’t just impressive-it’s elite. Morgan has been the engine behind Kentucky’s offense all season, and Thursday was yet another example of how she controls the tempo, sees the floor, and makes everyone around her better.
It’s not just about the numbers-it’s the way she racks them up. Crisp passes, smart decisions, and an uncanny ability to read defenses.
She’s not padding stats; she’s orchestrating wins.
A New Look Sparks a Fast Start
Head coach Kyra Elzy shook up the starting five for this one, opting to start Asia Boone at the two instead of Jordan Obi. The move paid off immediately.
Kentucky came out with pace, purpose, and precision. The Cats blitzed the Aggies from the jump, racing out to a 27-5 lead by the end of the first quarter. It was arguably their best opening 10 minutes of the season-shots were falling, the ball was moving, and the defense was locked in.
That first quarter set the tone, and while the rest of the game didn’t quite match that early fireworks display, it gave Kentucky the cushion they needed to play from in front the rest of the way.
A Gritty Middle Stretch
The second quarter saw the offense cool off considerably. Kentucky only managed 11 points in the period, and while the defense held strong, the rhythm they had early on faded a bit. A&M outscored the Cats 13-11 in the frame, cutting slightly into the deficit but still trailing 38-18 at the half.
Then came the third quarter, which turned into a whistle-fest. Fouls were called seemingly every trip down the floor, disrupting any flow the game had left.
A flagrant two foul on Texas A&M only added to the choppiness. The Aggies played with physicality-sometimes crossing the line-but Kentucky held firm.
Despite the stop-and-start nature of the quarter, the Wildcats maintained control and took a 58-34 lead into the final 10 minutes.
Closing It Out
The fourth quarter was more about managing the lead than building on it, but Kentucky did enough to coast to the finish line. It wasn’t the cleanest 40 minutes overall, but after a couple of tough losses, a 20-point win is exactly what this team needed.
Morgan’s record-breaking night will rightfully dominate the headlines, but this was a team win-sparked by a lineup tweak, anchored by defense, and guided by a point guard who’s playing at an All-SEC level.
What’s Next: A Big One on Sunday
Kentucky returns to action Sunday afternoon at Memorial Coliseum in what could be a pivotal matchup for their NCAA Tournament hopes. They’ll host No. 14 Ole Miss, a team that beat them 66-57 in Oxford last season.
With tournament seeding and the possibility of hosting on the line, this is the kind of Quad 1 opportunity that can shape a résumé. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. ET on SEC Network.
If the Cats can bottle up some of that first-quarter magic-and if Tonie Morgan keeps doing Tonie Morgan things-they’ll have more than a puncher’s chance.