Kentucky ranked 8th in On3's SEC Women's Basketball Preseason Rankings

Basketball season is right around the corner, and that means it’s time to try and forecast what’s to come this season. With Kenny Brooks taking over in Lexington, there’s a lot of excitement for what the ‘Cats can come to be.

But where does Kentucky stand in the SEC? Sure, Brooks’ team is going to be ranked heading into the season, but in the deepest and toughest conference in America, how do the ‘Cats fare? On3 has Kentucky finishing 8th in the SEC this season, something they hadn’t done since Kyra Elzy’s second year at the helm when Kentucky finished 7th in the SEC in 2021-22.

Here are On3’s full SEC Women’s Basketball Preseason Rankings:

1. South Carolina
2. Texas
3. LSU
4. Oklahoma
5. Alabama
6. Ole Miss
7. Tennessee
8. Kentucky
9. Vanderbilt
10. Mississippi State
11. Florida
12. Auburn
13. Georgia
14. Texas A&M
15. Missouri
16. Arkansas

Considering the schedule, 8th doesn’t seem like an outrageous projection for the 2024-25 ‘Cats. South Carolina is very clearly above the rest of the pack considering they are coming off of a literal perfect season, going 38-0 and winning the National Championship last year. Texas, LSU and Oklahoma all seem like they’re just a bit more talented than the rest of the SEC, but they aren’t to the level of the Gamecocks, obviously.

Then, this is where the middle of the conference standings comes into play. Spots 5-10 seem about as wide open as wide open can be. Literally, the ball bouncing one way or one whistle being blown can be the difference in getting a bye or not in the SEC Tournament.

Between Kentucky, Ole Miss, Alabama, Mississippi State, Tennessee and an improving Vanderbilt team, it’s going to be very competitive down the stretch. Regardless, Kentucky is going to be much more competitive in the SEC this season than in years past.