Kentucky WBB adds USC Upstate, Belmont to nonconference schedule

How about two more games to add to the nonconference schedule for Kenny Brooks and the Kentucky women’s basketball team? There were already 10 opponents and dates finalized, and now, the additions of USC Upstate and Belmont push the total to 12.

The Wildcats will host USC Upstate inside Historic Memorial Coliseum on November 12, then travel to Nashville to take on Belmont on Dec. 14. They took on both programs at home in 2024-25, starting with a 98-43 win over the Spartans in the season opener, followed by an 84-78 victory over the Bruins in December.

The former was the program’s second-largest margin of victory ever in a season opener (55 points) with Kentucky shooting 52.2 percent from the field while recording 45 rebounds, 26 assists, 12 blocks and 10 steals in the win. The Cats’ 98 points and 26 assists were both season highs for the team in 2024-25. In the latter, All-American guard Georgia Amoore scored 23 points — including 20 in the second half — to hold off Belmont, who finished 26-13 overall and 15-5 in the Missouri Valley Conference last year.

Additional nonconference matchups will be added to the schedule in the coming weeks. TV designations and tip times for their entire schedule will be announced at a later date.

Here is how the nonconference schedule looks as of today:

• Nov. 3 – vs. Morehead State
• Nov. 6 – vs. Monmouth
• Nov. 9 – at Buffalo
• Nov. 12 – vs. USC Upstate
• Nov. 18 – vs. Purdue
• Nov. 26 – vs. Maryland (Discover Puerto Rico Tournament)
• Nov. 28 – vs. Morgan State (Discover Puerto Rico Tournament)
• Dec. 3 – at Miami (FL) (SEC/ACC Challenge)
• Dec. 7 – vs. Central Michigan
• Dec. 14 – at Belmont
• Dec. 19 – vs. Wright State
• Dec. 28 – vs. Hofstra

The full 2026 SEC schedule was also released this week, starting with a trip to LSU on New Year’s Day:

Date	Opponent
Thursday, Jan. 1	@ No. 5 LSU
Sunday, Jan. 4	vs. Missouri
Thursday, Jan. 8	@ Alabama
Sunday, Jan. 11	vs. No. 6 Oklahoma
Thursday, Jan. 15	vs. Florida
Sunday, Jan. 18	@ Mississippi State
Thursday, Jan. 22	@ No. 7 Tennessee
Sunday, Jan. 25	vs. Georgia
Sunday, Feb. 1	@ Arkansas
Thursday, Feb. 5	vs. No. 11 Vanderbilt
Monday, Feb. 9	@ No. 4 Texas
Thursday, Feb. 12	vs. Texas A&M
Sunday, Feb. 15	vs. No. 13 Ole Miss
Sunday, Feb. 22	@ No. 11 Vanderbilt
Thursday, Feb. 26	@ Auburn
Sunday, March 1	vs. No. 1 South Carolina

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