Texas Dominates Kentucky, 76-54, to Advance to Elite Eight

Longhorns will face Michigan in regional final after blowout win over Wildcats

Mar. 28, 2026 at 9:27pm

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A fragmented, cubist-style painting depicting a basketball game, with overlapping geometric shapes and planes in vibrant colors representing the intense action on the court.Texas' dominant victory over Kentucky showcases their potential to make a deep NCAA tournament run.Fort Worth Today

No. 1 seed Texas cruised past Kentucky, 76-54, in the NCAA tournament Sweet 16 on Saturday. The Longhorns jumped out to a 15-0 lead and never looked back, controlling the game from start to finish. Texas will now face No. 2 seed Michigan in the Elite Eight on Monday.

Why it matters

Texas' dominant performance over a highly ranked Kentucky team establishes them as a serious national title contender. The Longhorns' stifling defense and balanced scoring attack overwhelmed the Wildcats, setting up an intriguing regional final matchup with Michigan.

The details

Texas opened the game on a 15-0 run and led 29-11 after the first quarter. The Longhorns' defense forced 16 Kentucky turnovers, led by 8 from Tonie Morgan. Texas was led in scoring by Jordan Lee with 18 points, followed by 17 from Madison Booker. Rori Booker stuffed the stat sheet with 11 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists and 6 steals.

  • Texas and Michigan will tip off their Elite Eight matchup on Monday at 7 p.m. ET.

The players

Rori Booker

A senior guard for Texas who had 11 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists and 6 steals in the win over Kentucky.

Jordan Lee

The leading scorer for Texas with 18 points in the blowout victory.

Madison Booker

Scored 17 points and grabbed 8 rebounds for the Longhorns.

Tonie Morgan

Recorded 8 of Kentucky's 16 turnovers in the loss.

Clara Strack

Led Kentucky with 16 points and 5 rebounds in the defeat.

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What they’re saying

“We must have been shell-shocked after that start. We never really recovered from there.”

— Kenny Brooks, Kentucky Head Coach

“I wasn't happy with our defense in the last 10 minutes. We gave up 26 points, which is too many.”

— Vic Schaefer, Texas Head Coach

What’s next

Texas and Michigan will face off in the Elite Eight on Monday at 7 p.m. ET, with the winner advancing to the Final Four.

The takeaway

Texas' dominant victory over Kentucky establishes them as a serious national title contender. The Longhorns' stifling defense and balanced scoring attack overwhelmed the Wildcats, setting up an intriguing regional final matchup with Michigan.