January 2, 1999

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky women’s basketball team will play host to 20th-ranked Florida on Sunday, Jan. 3 at 1 p.m. in Memorial Coliseum. The game will be televised live on Florida’s Sunshine Network. The Wildcats (10-2, 1-0) look to keep their three-game winning streak alive after defeating Eastern Illinois, Wichita State and Cincinnati. Florida (11-4, 1-0) enters Memorial Coliseum on a two-game winning streak, defeating Western Michigan (94-59) and California (96-70) in its own State Farm Classic last weekend.

Leading Kentucky in scoring again this season is senior Jaye Barnes. The 6-1 forward leads the Cats in scoring with 14.2 points and is second in rebounding, averaging 5.9 rebounds per game. The Lady Gators are led by juniors Tonya Washington and Tiffany Travis. Washington averages 16.0 points and 6.9 rebounds per game while Travis follows close behind, averaging 15.6 points per game.

Sunday’s game marks Kentucky and Florida’s 27th matchup, dating back to 1978 when the two teams first met. UF holds a 14-12 all-time record over the Wildcats and have won the last four meetings. The last time Kentucky defeated the Lady Gators in Memorial Coliseum was on Jan. 4, 1995, 63-55. Last season the Wildcats dropped both meetings to UF, 100-58 in Gainesville and 70-63 in Lexington.

Coach Carol Ross begins her ninth season at Florida as it celebrates the 25th year of varsity women’s basketball. Ross, who served as the head coach of the 1998 USA Select Team in which UK sophomore Laura Meadows was a member, was a player at Ole Miss from 1977-81, the same time UK Coach Bernadette Mattox was playing for conference opponent Georgia. UK will also play host to Vanderbilt on Thursday, Jan. 7 at 7 p.m. in Memorial Coliseum.