LEXINGTON – November 15, 2026
No. 12 Kentucky went on a 19-0 run to begin the game and never looked back, topping Eastern Michigan 81-47 on Sunday at Historic Memorial Coliseum.
All-American center Clara Strack had a huge game for the Cats, with 29 points and a career-high 18 rebounds. Strack also blocked four shots and had three assists. It was Strack’s second double-double of the season and the 34th of her career.
Kentucky (5-0) got 12 points and six rebounds from freshman Savvy Swords and 12 points from Me’Arah O’Neal. Asia Boone added 11 points for UK.
O’Neal started the scoring with a three from the corner for the Cats. Strack scored on a putback and Asia Boone hit a three to give UK an 8-0 lead early. Strack scored again, and UK got threes from Boone and Emily McDonald to lead 16-0.
Swords converted a three-point play to end the 19-0 run before Eastern Michigan got on the board. Ajša Sivka made a layup and Swords scored on a putback to give UK a 23-2 lead. Maddyn Greenway scored underneath and Kentucky led 25-2 after one quarter. It was the fewest points UK has allowed in the first quarter in program history.
EMU scored the first points of the second quarter but Strack hit a three to give UK a 28-4 lead. The Eagles hit a three before two Strack free throws gave Kentucky a 30-7 lead. The Eagles hit another three before Strack made two more free throws to make it 32-10. EMU then hit another three to cut the UK lead to 19.
Strack made another free throw, Sivka hit a three and Boone scored to extend the lead to 38-13. EMU hit a three but Swords answered and Kentucky led 41-16. EMU scored the next four, but Strack scored the last basket of the half, which ended with Kentucky leading 43-20.
In the third quarter, Strack scored the first five points then Boone hit a three to stretch the lead to 51-20. Diana Collins made one-of-two at the line then Swords scored on the baseline as the Cats grabbed a 54-20 lead. Strack made two free throws, McDonald made a bucket and Strack hit a three to close the 18-0 run that gave UK a 61-20 advantage.
EMU made a three, but O’Neal answered with a three of her own. The Eagles made a layup before McDonald hit a three that extended the lead to 67-25. O’Neal made three free throws but EMU would score the final points of the quarter, which ended with Kentucky leading 70-27.
Strack made two free throws to begin the fourth quarter before EMU scored underneath. Strack then hit a three and UK led 75-29. The Eagles scored the next seven before O’Neal hit a three to stretch the lead to 78-36. However, EMU scored the next seven before Ayanna Patterson made a free throw to give the Cats a 79-43 advantage. EMU scored four straight before Swords hit a turnaround jumper in the lane for the final points of the game.
Kentucky returns to action on Friday, hosting Marshall at HMC. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. ET and the game can be seen on SEC Network Plus.
