No. 8 Kentucky women host No. 3 Texas. How many top-five basketball teams has UK beaten?

The Kentucky women’s basketball team gets its first crack at an opponent ranked in the top five by The Associated Press during the Kenny Brooks coaching era on Thursday night when the eighth-ranked Wildcats host No. 3 Texas in Memorial Coliseum.

UK (19-3 overall, 8-2 Southeastern Conference) tips off against Texas (24-2, 10-1) at 7 p.m. (ESPN2) in Lexington.

Kentucky has not faced a top-five foe since Feb. 25 of last season, when Kyra Elzy’s final Wildcats team fell to No. 1 South Carolina 103-55 in Rupp Arena.

UK is 11-95 all-time against top-five foes and has lost five such games in a row.

The Wildcats’ most recent win over a top-five opponent came when Elzy’s UK team knocked off No. 1 South Carolina 64-62 on March 6, 2022, in the championship game of the SEC Tournament at Greenville, S.C.

Brooks went 3-16 against top-five opponents during his eight seasons at Virginia Tech but left on a two-game winning streak. The Hokies beat then-No. 3 North Carolina State 63-62 on Jan. 7 and 72-61 on Feb. 8 last season. Brooks’ Virginia Tech team also beat No. 2 N.C. State on Jan. 28, 2021.

Brooks went 0-2 against top-five foes during his 14 years at James Madison.

UK wins over AP top-five opponents

Against No. 1

Jan. 26, 2006: Tennessee, 66-63 (UK unranked)

March 6, 2022: South Carolina, 64-62 (UK unranked)

Against No. 2

March 1, 2015: South Carolina, 67-56 (UK No. 13)

Against No. 3

Dec. 1, 2013: Louisville, 69-64 (UK No. 7)

Feb. 23, 2017: Mississippi State, 78-75 OT (UK No. 22)

Against No. 4

Dec. 4, 1976: Tennessee Tech, 72-70 (UK unranked)

Jan. 20, 1979: Tennessee, 66-64 (UK unranked)

March 28, 2010: Nebraska, 76-67 (UK No. 19)

Against No. 5

Jan. 29, 1985: Georgia, 61-57 (UK No. 17)

Jan. 6, 2000: Auburn, 71-69 (UK unranked)

March 8, 2014: South Carolina, 68-58 (UK No. 12)