Kentucky WBB junior guard Saniah Tyler enters name into transfer portal

Make that two outgoing transfers for the Kentucky women’s basketball program in one day.

After it was reported Tuesday by On3’s Talia Goodman that 6-foot-7 freshman Clara Silva had put her name into the transfer portal, junior guard Saniah Tyler did the same a few hours later. Tyler served as the Wildcats’ backup point guard for most of the season with per-game averages of 2.3 points and 1.2 rebounds in 12.3 minutes on 33.3 percent overall shooting.

A Missouri native, Tyler was far more productive as a sophomore in 2023-24. The 5-foot-6 guard averaged 10.2 points in 26.8 minutes per outing while starting 13 of 32 games played. But once Kenny Brooks took over as head coach and brought All-American point guard Georgia Amoore to Lexington with him, Tyler’s role diminished in 2024-25.

“Kentucky will always hold a special place in my heart,” Tyler wrote on Instagram. “And I will forever be thankful for my time as a Wildcat. Thank you for everything!”

She will have one year of college eligibility remaining at her next stop.

BREAKING: Saniah Tyler has entered the transfer portal, sources tell KSR.

The 5-foot-6 guard averaged 10.2 PPG as a sophomore and just 2.3 points and 1.2 RPG this year. pic.twitter.com/asqWYqbPYd

— Phoenix Stevens (@PStevensKSR) March 25, 2025

Out of Incarnate Word Academy in Missouri, Tyler was considered a four-star high school recruit before committing to former Kentucky coach Kyra Elzy. She only appeared in nine games as a freshman in 2022-23, mainly serving as a depth piece deep down the bench. But she became an important piece to last season’s group, starting 10 of the Wildcats’ first 11 games before filling in as a key rotational figure the rest of the way. Tyler dropped a career-high 22 points in a road win against Mississippi State in Feb. 2024.

Under Brooks as a junior, Tyler saw limited playing time early in the season. It wasn’t until SEC play picked up that she started to carve out a role. She averaged 2.6 points and 1.3 rebounds in 15.5 minutes per contest against conference competition during the regular season as Amoore’s primary backup.

But now, she’ll search for a new home as Brooks will have to replace several backcourt pieces going into the 2025-26 season. Amoore and fellow backcourt starter Dazia Lawrence have both exhausted their college eligibility.