(Oct. 13, 2000) — The University of Kentucky women’s basketball team will participate in the 2000 Block Party Basketball Weekend sponsored by the Orange Bowl Committee on Dec. 16-17 in Miami, Fla. UK along with Miami, Nebraska, Florida, Gonzaga, New Mexico and Florida International make up the eight men’s and women’s teams invited to the prestigious basketball classics.

Two tournaments highlight the college basketball weekend. The Kentucky women will face host FIU at 4 p.m. in the final game of the weekend as part of the second annual Baptist Health Systems Women’s Fab Four Classic. Southeastern Conference foe Florida and the Lobos of New Mexico will tip-off the double-header at 2 p.m. Both games of the Baptist Health Systems Women’s Fab Four Classic will be played in FIU’s Golden Panther Arena and be televised by the Sunshine Network.

“This classic will really give our young players some great experience before we head into our tough conference race,” UK Coach Bernadette Mattox said. “The tournament atmosphere and competition will be something new for many of our players.”

The men’s tournament, held on Saturday, Dec. 26 at the National Car Rental Arena in Sunrise, Fla., will feature Miami and Nebraska in the first game of the eighth annual Orange Bowl Basketball Classic presented by First Union. The second game is a rematch of the 1999 NCAA Tournament West Regional semifinal, which pitted the Gators and Gonzaga. Both games of the Orange Bowl Basketball Classic will also be televised on the Sunshine Network.

Tickets for the 2000 Block Party Weekend are available by logging on to the Orange Bowl Committee website at www.orangebowl.org. For more information, call the OBC offices at 305-371-4600 ext. 115.