Women’s basketball to celebrate 25th season as a varsity sport.

LEXINGTON, Kty. (Jan. 15, 2000) — The University of Kentuckywomen’s basketball team celebrates its 25th seasonas a varsity sport on Sunday, Jan. 16 when it playshost to Arkansas in the Southeastern ConferenceGame of the Week at 3 p.m. in MemorialColiseum. The game will be televised live on FoxSports Net and is not available in Lexington.

Former Wildcat Valerie Still, currently of theWNBA’s Washington Mystics, along with manyother alumni, return to Lexington to join in the 25thAnniversary celebration. Kentucky women’sbasketball became a varsity sport in 1974 after a50-year absence. UK holds a 440-293 (60.0percent) overall record in 25 years, including a253-99 (72%) mark when playing at home.

The Cats (10-5, 2-1) look to bounce back after a60-55 loss in overtime at Vanderbilt on Thursday.UK also lost to Arkansas in overtime last season inFayetteville, Ark., but the Cats are 4-1 against theLady Razorbacks when playing in Lexington.

Arkansas (9-5, 0-2) has lost three straight gamesthat included two nationally-ranked SEC teams inNo. 2 Tennessee (79-69) and No. 17 LSU(82-69). The Lady ‘Backs are led by junior guardWendi Willits who averages 16.6 points per gameand ranks 10th in the nation three-point field goalpercentage, shooting 40.6 percent.

“Arkansas is a great shooting team, but they alsoplay intense defense,” UK Coach BernadetteMattox said. “We have to take care of thebasketball, block out and crash the boards. Wedidn’t rebound well at Vanderbilt and that has beena focal point in practice this week.”

UK forward Laura Meadows (Huntington, W. Va.) jumped to the top of thescoring column this week after charting her eighth career and third seasondouble-double versus Vanderbilt. The 6-3 junior recorded 21 points and 11rebounds for a team-high average of 12.9 points per game. Sophomoreforward LaTonya McDole (Dayton, Ohio) marginally follows Meadows with12.3 ppg while senior guard Erica Jackson (Lexington, Ky.) averages 11.7ppg.