April 29, 1999

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky turned heads this season while charting 21 wins, defeating three nationally-ranked opponents and advancing to the second round of the NCAATournament. Here is a list of Kentucky’s highlights this season:

• With 21 wins this season, the Cats have charted the most wins in CoachMattox’s four-year stint and the most wins since finishing 20-9 in 1990-91.UK charted its most SEC wins in school history with seven.
• For the first time in 17 years, the Kentucky women’s basketball team wona first round game in the NCAA Tournament, defeating Nebraska 98-92. Thelast time UK won in the NCAA Tournament was in 1982 when the Wildcatsdispatched Illinois and South Carolina before falling to Louisiana Tech.
• UK recorded its first 20-win season with a win over Nebraska in thefirst round of the NCAA Tournament. The last time UK recorded 20-plus winswas in 1989-90 when they were 23-8.
• This season marked UK Coach Bernadette Mattox’s first appearance in theNCAA Tournament with the UK women’s team. As an assistant coach, Mattoxhelped lead the UK men’s team under Rick Pitino to an 8-3 record in theNCAA Tourney, including a Final Four appearance in 1992-93.
• In UK’s nonconference slate, the Wildcats defeated Ohio State inovertime (92-84) in the Buckeye’s inaugural game in their new arena. UKwent on to defeat in-state rival Louisville (73-62) and host-team Hawaii(66-57) at the Rainbow Wahine Classic to finish second behind then-No. 10UCLA. Also in non-conference action, the Cats defeated Conference USA’sregular season champions, Cincinnati (70-59) in Lexington. The Cats were aperfect 6-0 on opponent’s home courts this season in nonconference action.
• UK began its tough conference schedule after exploding to an impressive10-2 overall record, its best start in 10 years. The Cats faced Auburn intheir first SEC matchup, defeating the Lady Tigers in Alabama, 68-62.
• The Cats then snapped a nine-game losing streak to SEC rival Vanderbilt,defeating the Commodores, 70-69, for the first time in eight years. UK hadnot defeated VU since Jan. 20, 1991 (80-63).
• Kentucky defeated then-No. 18 Alabama in Memorial Colsieum on Jan. 24,snapping a five-game losing streak to the Crimson Tide. The last time theCats defeated ‘Bama was on Jan. 31, 1993 (77-73).
• Following the win over nationally-ranked Alabama, the Cats went on todefeat Florida in Gainesville (Jan. 28) for the first time since winning,84-70, on Feb. 10, 1990.
• Playing host to Coach Mattox’s alma mater –then-No. 8 Georgia– on Feb.7, the Cats were looking for their first win over the Lady Bulldogs since1993 (71-70). UK defeated UGA, 80-76, in Memorial Coliseum, charting CoachMattox’s first win over a Top-10 opponent and her first win over her formercoach and boss Andy Landers.
• Erica Jackson hit a jumper at the buzzer to defeat South Carolina,78-76, on Feb. 11 in Columbia. UK had not won on USC’s home court sincewinning, 82-63, on Jan. 8, 1994. That shot was awarded Compaq Play of theWeek and Play of the Year.