Texas Dominates Kentucky, Advances to Elite Eight

Longhorns will face Michigan in the next round after 76-54 blowout victory.

Mar. 28, 2026 at 9:09pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting the action of a women's basketball game, with players and the court fragmented into overlapping angular shapes and planes in vibrant colors.Texas' aggressive defense and relentless offense overwhelm Kentucky, setting up an Elite Eight showdown with Michigan.Fort Worth Today

No. 1 seed Texas cruised past Kentucky 76-54 in the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament Sweet 16 matchup. 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.

Why it matters

Texas' dominant performance over a highly-ranked Kentucky squad establishes them as a serious title contender. The Longhorns' stifling defense and balanced scoring attack proved too much for the Wildcats, setting up an intriguing Elite Eight showdown 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 numerous Kentucky turnovers, and they controlled the boards despite a significant size disadvantage. Texas maintained a comfortable lead throughout, withstanding a brief Kentucky rally in the fourth quarter to seal the victory.

  • The game was played on Saturday, March 28, 2026.
  • Texas and Michigan will face off in the Elite Eight on Monday.

The players

Rori Booker

A senior guard for Texas who finished with 11 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists and 6 steals, leading the Longhorns' dominant performance.

Vic Schaefer

The head coach of the Texas Longhorns, who guided his team to a convincing victory over Kentucky.

Kenny Brooks

The head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats, whose team was overwhelmed by the Longhorns' intensity from the opening tip.

Teonni Key

Kentucky's 6-foot-5 center who was unable to match the Longhorns' physicality and defensive pressure.

Amelia Hassett

The Kentucky player who hit the opening 3-pointer, but whose team was unable to recover from Texas' early onslaught.

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What they’re saying

“We were shell-shocked after the onslaught from Texas.”

— Kenny Brooks, Kentucky Head Coach

“I wasn't happy with our defense in the preceding 10 minutes. We gave up 26 points.”

— Vic Schaefer, Texas Head Coach

What’s next

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

The takeaway

Texas' dominant performance over a highly-ranked Kentucky squad establishes them as a serious national title contender. The Longhorns' stifling defense and balanced scoring attack proved too much for the Wildcats, setting up an intriguing Elite Eight matchup with Michigan.