KSR's top takeaways from Kentucky's 90-30 whooping of USC Upstate

Kentucky’s win over USC Upstate on Wednesday night was a thing of beauty. Truly, the Cats dominated on both ends of the floor, and some history was made along the way. You couldn’t have asked for a much more fun night in Historic Memorial Coliseum.

Here are KSR’s top takeaways from Kentucky’s fourth win of the 2025-26 season.

Tonie Morgan is doing everything that you need from her at point guard (and plenty more)

The biggest story and biggest performance of the night came from Tonie Morgan, who not only surpassed 500 career assists against USC Upstate, but she recorded 16 total on the night. That ties a program record set by Patty Jo Hedges-Ward back in 1982.

Tonie Morgan has tied Patty Jo Hedge's single-game assists record for Kentucky (16). pic.twitter.com/FHG0h8qfpx

— Phoenix Stevens (@PStevensKSR) November 13, 2025

Not to mention, she did all of that while turning the ball over zero times. Zero. Just absolutely incredible. In Kenny Brooks‘ offense, she may be the best pure distributing point guard in the country. Oh, and she’s on pace to break Georgia Amoore‘s single-season total assists record too now.

Then, scoring the ball, she had 11 points on 4-7 (1-1 3PT) shooting. It’s hard to ask for too much more from the point guard position.

Amelia Hassett went from not being able to buy a bucket to being one of the team’s best scorers

Last season and even early this year, Amelia Hassett had some seriously cold stretches. Not just cold, but ice cold. She’s always been able to contribute in other ways, but her shot hasn’t always fallen. Well, that’s not the case right now.

Against USC Upstate, the 6-foot-4 forward had a team-high 20 points while shooting 7-12 (4-9 3PT) from the field. Those are numbers that you will take any game if you’re Kenny Brooks.

Hassett has very quietly been one of Kentucky’s best scorers early this season. Will that remain the case? Maybe not, but it certainly makes you optimistic about what she may be able to do against better competition.

They say defense wins championships, and Kentucky is one of the best defensive teams in college basketball

Three, zero. 30 points is all USC Upstate could muster against this Kentucky defense. Kentucky hasn’t given up less than 40 points in a game since 2020 when they did so to Wofford, and they just held a D-I team to 30. I get it’s South Carolina Upstate and not regular South Carolina, but that’s meaningful.

Again, Kentucky’s ability to contest and block shots is what has them playing at such a high level on that end of the floor. Kentucky blocked 12 of USC Upstate’s shots on Wednesday night. At this rate, Kentucky will, again, be the best shot-blocking team in college basketball.

Kentucky women's basketball is (again) the best shot-blocking team in the country.

This doesn't even include the USC Upstate game, where the Wildcats recorded 12 rejections. pic.twitter.com/749HMxZvIR

— Phoenix Stevens (@PStevensKSR) November 13, 2025

We’ve seen two of the more complete, all-around games of the Kenny Brooks era with this one and the win over Monmouth. Is Kentucky truly one of the best teams in all the land? It sure looks like it right now.