Jan. 2, 2009
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Kentucky women’s basketball team takes their four-game winning streak on the road when they meet Miami University in Oxford, Ohio Saturday, Jan. 3 at 2 p.m. EST. The final non-conference game of the season will be broadcast live from Millett Hall on the Big Blue Sports Network (radio) with Neil Price.
The Wildcats (9-5) are fresh off a 72-63 win over North Carolina A&T team on Friday night in Memorial Coliseum. For the second-straight game, five players scored in double-figures and two players recorded double-doubles (points/rebounds) paced by senior Eleia Roddy’s (Columbus, Ohio) sixth consecutive double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Sophomore Amber Smith also scored 13, all in the second half.
“We have another short turnaround for this game so it’s important we keep up our intensity and focus on the road,” UK Hoops Coach Matthew Mitchell said. “I wasn’t pleased with our turnovers in our last game and I thought we looked a bit lethargic at times. We didn’t shoot the ball well from the field but we shot exceptionally well from the free-throw line and that was the key to the game. I was proud of the way we handled the Aggies’ pressure and finished the game with a win.”
This will mark Kentucky’s first meeting against the RedHawks since a 64-58 win in Oxford on Dec. 20, 2003. The Wildcats are 12-2 all-time vs. against Miami and hold a 5-2 advantage when playing away from home.
Three players are averaging double-figures for the Wildcats’ balanced scoring attack this season. Sophomore forward Victoria Dunlap (Nashville, Tenn.), who had 11 points and 12 rebounds against N.C. A&T, leads the way with 11.9 points per game while Roddy (Columbus, Ohio) follows close behind with 11.6 ppg. Junior guard Amani Franklin (Stone Mountain, Ga.) averages 10.6 ppg and leads the team with 20 three-pointers.
Roddy is UK’s leader on the glass, pulling down 9.1 rebounds per game. She currently ranks second in the Southeastern Conference in rebounding and leads the league in double-doubles with seven this season, including six in a row. She is one of just four players in school history to chart four or more double-doubles and her six consecutive double-doubles are the most since former UK All-American Valerie Still grabbed a school-record 11 in a row during the 1982-83 season.
Miami (8-4) is having one of its most successful starts in school history with wins in six of the last eight games. The RedHawks, members of the Mid-American Conference, are led by Jenna Schone with 15.1 points per game. Courtney Reed follows with 11.8 ppg.
