LEXINGTON – February 5, 2026
Teonni Key scored a career-high 27 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, but No. 16 Kentucky lost to seventh-ranked Vanderbilt 84-83 on Thursday night inside Historic Memorial Coliseum.
Amelia Hassett hit five three-point baskets on her way to 19 points, while Clara Strack had another double-double with 14 points and 15 rebounds. Strack added seven assists and blocked shot. Asia Boone scored 12 points before fouling out.
Turnovers were the difference in the game. Kentucky committed 20 turnovers, leading to 25 Vanderbilt points. Conversely, the Commodores turned it over just six times, and the Cats got just five points off of those miscues.
On the first possession of the game, Hassett hit a triple to give UK an early lead. A Key free throw made it 4-0, but Vanderbilt responded with a basket to cut the UK lead in half. Strack scored to extend the lead to four, but the Commodores responded to again get within two.
Tonie Morgan scored, but Vandy responded again to make it 8-6. Another Hassett three stretched the lead to five, but the Commodores scored the next six to lead for the first time. A Jordan Obi layup gave UK the lead back, 13-12, but Vandy scored on the other end to take the lead right back. Those were the first points in a 7-0 run that gave the Commodores a 19-13 lead. A Strack three ended the streak, but Vanderbilt led 19-16 after one quarter.
Vandy scored the first points of the second period, but a Key layup cut the deficit to 21-18. After a Vanderbilt free throw, Morgan scored underneath to get the Cats within two. But a Commodores’ three made it 25-20. Strack scored again, but Vandy scored the next four to lead 29-22.
Hassett hit another three to get UK within four, but Vandy answered with a three of its own to lead 32-25. That’s when the Cats went on a run. Morgan hit two free throws, Key converted a layup and later a free throw, Asia Boone hit a three and Key scored again. Altogether, it was a 10-0 run that gave Kentucky a 35-32 lead. Vandy scored to end the run, but Boone hit a three to end the half, giving UK a 38-34 lead at the break.
The Commodores scored the first seven points of the third quarter to lead by three. Key scored to stop the streak, then scored again to give UK a 42-41 lead. A Boone three stretched the lead to four and a Hassett putback gave UK a 47-41 advantage. After Vandy scored, Key went coast-to-coast to score and give Kentucky a six-point lead. The Commodores would score again to get within four.
Strack scored on a putback, then Boone hit another three, giving the Cats a 54-45 lead. After a Vanderbilt timeout, the ‘Dores scored five in a row to get within four. Strack made two free throws to give UK a 56-50 lead, but Vandy made two free throws of their own to get back within four. Hassett made a fast-break layup, but the Commodores scored just before the end of the quarter. UK led 58-54 with 10 minutes to play.
In the fourth quarter, Vanderbilt scored first seven points of the fourth quarter to lead by three. Key made one-of-two at the line, but the Commodores got a three-point play to lead 64-59. Obi hit a free throw to get UK within four, but Vandy scored five straight to lead by nine.
A Key layup got the Cats within seven, but Vandy hit a three to lead 72-62 with 6:15 remaining. A Hassett three and two Key free throws cut that lead in half, and a Strack free throw cut the deficit to 72-68. Key scored underneath to get the Cats within two, but Vandy scored the next four to lead 76-70.
Key scored on a putback, then Strack scored on a fadeaway and the Cats were within two with 1:11 to play. Vandy responded with a three to lead 79-74, but Hassett answered with a three to get UK back within two. Vandy made a free throw before Key scored again, making it 80-79 with 25 seconds remaining.
The ‘Dores hit a pair of free throws with 19 seconds to play, then Morgan made a layup with 13 seconds left to again make it a one-point game. Vandy hit two more free throws before Key scored on a putback just before the final buzzer.
Kentucky returns to action on Monday, facing No. 4 Texas in Austin. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET and the game can be seen on the SEC Network.
