May 9, 2001

The University of Kentucky women’s basketball team dominated the Nice University Club, 87-58, on Wednesday in Nice, France in the first of five games the Wildcats will play on their 11-day tour of Europe.

Freshman center SeSe Helm controlled the paint all night, leading three Wildcats in double digits with a game-high 23 points, 17 coming in the first half. Sophomore guard Rita Adams and freshman guard Kristin Connolly followed with 16 and 13 points, respectively. The young Wildcats also took command of the glass, outrebounding Nice by an overwhelming margin of 63-18. Three Cats pulled down double-digit rebounds with freshman Shambrica Jones coming off the bench for a game-high 13 boards. Veteran LaTonya McDole notched 12 of her own while freshman guard Stephanie Stoglin added 10.

“I am very proud of this team,” UK Coach Bernadette Mattox said. “I wasn’t sure if we were going to adjust to the time change and all of the activities, but this team came out with great enthusiasm and a lot of intensity. They took control of the ballgame and I saw a lot of great things happen tonight.”

The two teams exchanged gifts in pre-game ceremonies but the Cats were anything but gracious once the game started. Kentucky controlled the tempo from the opening tip, jumping out to a 24-9 lead in the first quarter. The Cats then went on a 17-2 run to pull the score to 41-11 before intermission. All 12 players saw action for the Blue and White.Nice University’s only force of offense was Nathalie Farneti who knocked down five three-pointers for a team-high 19 points.

The Cats depart from Nice on Thursday, May 9 for a four-hour bus ride to Lyon, France where they are slated to face Lyon ALGM at 8:15 p.m. UK will remain in Lyon until Saturday, May 12 when it travels to Montreaux, Switzerland.

NOTE: The Wildcats bused to Cannes, France on Wednesday, May 9, to take in the events surrounding the 2001 Cannes Film Festival prior to the game with Nice University Club.