Kentucky women’s basketball reveals 2025-26 SEC home and away opponents
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Kentucky will face Vanderbilt twice in SEC play during the 2025-26 season.
- SEC schedule includes road games at LSU, Tennessee and six other programs.
- Wildcats host powerhouses South Carolina and Oklahoma in Memorial Coliseum.
This season, Kentucky women’s basketball will twice battle it out with another fast-rising Southeastern Conference program.
Big Blue Nation gained further insight to Kenny Brooks’ second-year schedule Tuesday with the reveal of the Wildcats’ 2025-26 SEC home and away designations. Kentucky will play Vanderbilt both at home and on the road, a consequence of the SEC’s unique women’s basketball’s schedule setup — 16 regular-season conference matchups allowing for each team to play all others once, with the exception of a single double opponent.
Vanderbilt, entering its fifth season under Shea Ralph, is gunning for its third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, and 30th overall. The Commodores finished last season 22-11 (8-8 SEC), led by 2025 USBWA National Freshman of the Year Mikayla Blakes. Blakes also earned SEC Freshman of the Year and All-SEC First Team honors.
The Commodores will also return second-leading scorer, forward Khamil Pierre, and welcome back graduate forward Sacha Washington, who missed last season due to injury. Though third-leading scorer, guard Iyana Moore, transferred to Notre Dame, Ralph signed touted incoming transfers Aalyah Del Rosario (LSU) and Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda (Texas) to further bolster Vanderbilt’s depth.
The Wildcats defeated Vanderbilt 96-78 in Nashville on Jan. 5, 2025. The Commodores lead the all-time series 39-28.
In addition to Vanderbilt on Kentucky’s 2025-26 home schedule, potential conference championship contenders Oklahoma and reigning national runner-up South Carolina will visit, along with Florida, Georgia, Missouri, Ole Miss and Texas A&M.
In addition to Vanderbilt, Kentucky’s road schedule includes Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, LSU, Mississippi State, Tennessee and Texas.
Dates, tipoff times and broadcasts for SEC games will be announced later.
Kentucky is still completing its nonconference schedule, but several opponents have been previously revealed.
How Kentucky’s schedule stacks up
The SEC put 10 teams in the NCAA Tournament last season: Alabama, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi, Mississippi State, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Vanderbilt.
South Carolina fell to UConn in the NCAA title game. Texas also reached the Final Four, and LSU was eliminated in the Elite Eight. Kentucky was knocked out in the second round by Kansas State.
The Gamecocks are ranked No. 1 in ESPN’s “Way-Too-Early Top 25” for next season. Texas, LSU, Oklahoma and Tennessee rank No. 4-No. 7 nationally. Vanderbilt is No. 11 and Ole Miss No. 13. Kentucky, which was among the teams “also considered,” will also face No. 17 Louisville, and possibly other ranked nonconference foes still to be revealed.
2025-26 UK women’s basketball schedule
Games confirmed to this point (home games in all capital letters):
Nov. 3: MOREHEAD STATE
Nov. 6: MONMOUTH
Nov. 9: At Buffalo
Dec. 3: At Miami (Fla.)-x
Dec. 7: CENTRAL MICHIGAN
Dec. 14: At Belmont
Dec. 19: WRIGHT STATE
Dec. 28: HOFSTRA
SEC home games (dates TBA): Florida, Georgia, Missouri, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt.
SEC road games (dates TBA): Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, LSU, Mississippi State, Tennessee, Texas, Vanderbilt.
x-ACC/SEC Challenge
