Dec. 18, 2001
Lexington, Ky. – The Kentucky women’s basketball team will play host to intrastate rival Louisville on Wednesday, Dec. 19 at 7 p.m. in Memorial Coliseum. UK will also team up with the Marine Corps for the 54th Toys for Tots Campaign. Bring one new unwrapped toy and gain admission for two. The game is also targeted as UK Employee Appreciation Night. All UK employees with a valid identification card will also be admitted free. All other adults are $5. Children (18 years old and under) and senior citizens (62 years old and over) are only $2.
The meeting marks the 37th meeting between the schools in the annual “Battle of the Bluegrass”, ranking as the second-longest series for the Cats. UK has met only the Tennessee Lady Volunteers (41 times) more than the Cardinals.
UK leads the series 26-10, despite a 63-57 setback last season in Freedom Hall. The Cats have won 12 straight over the Cards in Memorial Coliseum. U of L’s last win in Lexington was a one-point, 68-67, escape on Feb. 6, 1979.
“This game is always special and exciting for us,” UK Coach Bernadette Mattox said. “Coach (Martin) Clapp has a group of talented players and we look forward to meeting them in Lexington.”
UK (4-4) snapped its two-game losing streak with a 66-61 win over Virginia Commonwealth on Sunday. Junior guard Rita Adams almost charted a triple double against the Rams, leading the Cats with 19 points, a career-tying eight rebounds and a career-high nine steals. She leads the SEC and is fifth in the national ranks, averaging 5.00 steals a game. Sophomore SeSe Helm, who charted her eighth straight game with double digits at VCU, leads UK in both scoring and rebounding, averaging 15.8 points and 7.3 rebounds per game.
The Cards (5-3) look to get back on the winning track after falling to nationally-ranked Colorado State, 82-72, in the championship game of the Women’s Sports Foundation Tournament in Columbus, Ohio over the weekend.
Four Cardinals are averaging in double-digit scoring this season. Junior guard Marju Sober, originally from Estonia, called Lexington her home for two years while playing for Paul Dunbar High School. She leads the pack averaging 14.3 points a game. Junior center LaKisha Hoffman follows with 12.1 ppg and point guard Sara Nord and forward Tiana Ford round off the scoring column, averaging 12.0 and 11.5 points, respectively.
