Kentucky vs. Louisville WBB will be at Rupp Arena

Kentucky and Louisville will meet for the third time during the Kenny Brooks era this season, but the Battle of the Bluegrass will not be a traditional home game for the Cats. Instead, Kentucky will be taking on the Cards at Rupp Arena on Wednesday, Dec. 9.

Kentucky and Louisville last played in Rupp during the 2019-20 and 2022-23 seasons. The first of those two games was a narrow 67-66 win for Louisville, and the following meeting was also taken by Louisville, this time an 86-72 victory for the Cardinals.

Under Brooks, Kentucky is 2-0 against Louisville. In 2024, Kentucky fended off Louisville 71-61 in Historic Memorial Coliseum as the Cats came out on top in overtime. Last season, Kentucky marched into the KFC Yum! Center and got the 72-62 win over Jeff Walz’ squad.

Takin’ the big stage for a big game. 🔵🔵🔵

📆 Dec. 9
📍 Rupp Arena

🎟️: Now taking new season ticket deposits (at no cost) at https://t.co/YY2jS0yvm2! Renewal period will begin later this summer! pic.twitter.com/QIzo59r3OH

— Kentucky Women’s Basketball (@KentuckyWBB) June 1, 2026

This offseason, Kentucky brought in a top 10 transfer portal class, according to On3’s Talia Goodman, and that doesn’t even include the addition of former first round WNBA Draft pick Ajša Sivka. The Wildcats came in at No. 6, but just ahead of them at No. 5 are the Cardinals.

Walz brought in three highly coveted players this offseason in Deniya Prawl (Tennessee), Carys Baker (Virginia Tech) and Zam Jones (NC State). Prawl, the No. 15 player in the 2025 class on Rivals, was a Kentucky target coming out of high school. Baker, who played under Brooks at Virginia Tech briefly, averaged 14.3 points and 6.9 rebounds per game in Blacksburg last season. Jones recorded 14.9 points per game at NC State last year.

Both Kentucky and Louisville made it to the Sweet 16 a year ago, and had they won their respective games, would have met in the Elite Eight. Since that didn’t happen, the rematch in December will be a little bit over a year in the making. It should be a great game as always, made even greater by taking place in Rupp Arena.

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