The University of Kentucky women’s basketball team will spend the Thanksgivingholiday in sunny Malibu, California as it participates in the Pepperdine Classic on Nov.25-26. All games will be played at Pepperdine’s Firestone Fieldhouse and can beheard via the internet on UK’s official website, ukathletics.com.
The Wildcats (1-0) meet the Missouri Tigers on Saturday, Nov. 25 at 10 p.m. ET forthe first time in 11 years. The last time the teams met, UK defeated the Tigers 102-84on Nov. 25, 1989 in Lexington. Pepperdine and Houston will battle it out in the firstgame starting at 8 p.m. ET. On Sunday, Nov. 26, the consolation round begins at 4p.m. ET and the championship game starts at 6 p.m. ET.This is a business trip for us, UK Coach Bernadette Mattox said. We have a youngteam and we are going up against tough competition. We have to remain focusedand keep our intensity level up. We want to come back home with two more wins.
The Cats charted their first win on Tuesday when they came back from a 19-pointdeficit to defeat the Miami RedHawks, 77-71, in the season-opener. Rookieguard/forward Stephanie Stoglin nailed a three-pointer with only a minute remaining togive UK its first lead of the second half after trailing 56-37. Stoglin ended the nightwith a career-high, leading four players in the double-digit column with 19 points andnine rebounds. Lone returning starter LaTonya McDole also finished with a careernight, charting her sixth career double-double (15 points/12 rebounds) and tying acareer-high six steals.
The Tigers are 2-0 heading into the Pepperdine Classic after thrashing EasternIllinois, 106-59, in their season-opener on Nov. 17 and defeating SoutheasternConference opponent Arkansas, 79-67, in Columbia on Monday. MU is led by lastseason’s Big 12 Newcomer of the Year, Amanda Lassiter. She recorded adouble-double versus the Razorbacks on Monday with 22 points and 11 rebounds,including eight defensive boards. She also dished out five assists and three blocks.
The Tigers are coached by Cindy Stein. Last year she led Mizzou to the second roundof the WNIT before falling to Arkansas in a heartbreaking 89-88 overtime loss.
