Georgia Amoore Named SEC Newcomer of the Year

Georgia Amoore (UK Athletics Photo)

Georgia Amoore had a historic four-year career at Virginia Tech playing for coach Kenny Brooks that included winning an ACC regular-season championship and advancing to the Final Four.

Still, when the 5-6 point guard followed Brooks to Kentucky this season, the coach knew many wondered how she would fare in the Southeastern Conference.

Tuesday she was named SEC Newcomer of the Year and also was a first-team all-SEC pick. Brooks said he was sure was also considered for conference player of the year honors and should have been.

“There were a lot of doubters out there (about Amoore) with the level of physicality and play in the SEC,” Brooks said Tuesday. “She took a wild leap of faith following me here. I am proud of the person and leader she has become and what she has done for the program and for the future here.”

Amoore, a Nancy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year Top Five Finalist, is averaging 18.8 points, 1.0 steals and 6.9 assists per game, shooting 42.4 percent from the field and has a 2.16 assist-turnover ratio. Those are all career best marks for her. She also is averaging 2.4 3’s per game and 2.1 rebounds per game.

The veteran guard has scored in double figures in 27 of 28 games and had 20 or more points in 12 games, including six straight games.

Amoore gained national recognition with her career-high 43 points in a win at No. 10 Oklahoma to tie the UK school record. Only four other players in Division I have scored that many points in a game this season. She is the lone SEC player to have at least 43 points and eight assists in a single game since at least 2002-03.

The Australian native is third in the nation in assists at 6.9 per game — no UK player has finished the season in the top 10 in 15 seasons. She needs 18 more assists to break the school record for total assists (209) in one season.

She has 18 games this season — and eight games in league action — with at least 15 points and five assists, the most of any SEC player since at least 2002-03.

Amoore is the only current DI player — men or women — to have at least 2,000 career points (2,379) and 800 assists (848). The Wildcat also is the third player in DI women’s basketball history to have at least 2,300 career points and 800 career assists, joining Caitlin Clark (Iowa, 2020-24) and Sabrina Ionescu (Oregon, 2016-20).

Brooks believes Amoore is the best point guard in the country.

“She can pick a defense apart, and she did a really good job. She’s in constant communication with me and talking about different coverages and how to do it,” Brooks said. “She came over from the ACC and came into the SEC for her final year, and I think it’s been a blessing for her because the defenses that she’s faced this year, it’s going to be great preparation for her in the future and what she’s going to be able to see.

“The way she’s been able to handle it – it’s a way more physical league, the amount of bumps, bruises, scratches that she gets during the game.”