Jan. 30, 2002
Lexington, Ky. – Memorial Coliseum will be action packed on Sunday, Feb. 3 at 2 p.m. ET, when the Kentucky women’s basketball team plays host to nationally ranked Georgia and participates in the annual Take A Kid To The Game program.
The nationwide grassroots program is designed to encourage adults to take kids to a NCAA women’s basketball athletic event and experience game-day at an affordable price. TAKG, which promotes the women’s game to the youth of America, allows kids under the age of 15 to be admitted free when accompanied by an adult. UK employees with valid faculty/staff identification will be also be admitted free. All other adults are $5.
In addition to free admission, all kids can take place in interactive activities on the upper concourse in Memorial Coliseum starting at 1 p.m. Football players Jared Lorenzen and Shane Boyd and basketball player Jason Parker, will be available to sign autographs along with other UK athletes from seven varsity teams. Twenty children will also be chosen to participate in a closed-circuit television show with former UK basketball great Kenny “Sky” Walker.
The Wildcats (8-12, 1-7 Southeastern Conference) look to get back on track after falling in a heartbreaker last Sunday to Alabama, 61-58. Senior LaTonya McDole came out of a six-game scoring slump to lead UK with 15 points while freshman Sara Potts nailed a career-tying four three-pointers for 14 points.
“I think our players have gained valuable experience in the past few weeks that has helped them realize what we need to do to win in this conference,” UK Coach Bernadette Mattox said. “Georgia is a tough team and coming off a loss, so they will be ready to play on Sunday. We’ve used this off week to work on the little things and improve our free throw shooting.”
All-America and All-SEC candidate, SeSe Helm, continues to lead the Cats in scoring and rebounding this season. The 6-4 center averages 16.6 points and 7.1 rebounds per game.
Junior guard Rita Adams ranks 11th nationally and is first in the SEC in steals, averaging 3.65 steals per game. Adams, only 5-8, shows her versatility by also leading the Cats in blocks for the second straight season.
Georgia, ranked No. 19 in the Associated Press Poll and No. 18 in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll, comes to Lexington after falling to No. 18 Florida on Sunday, 73-64. The Lady Bulldogs are 14-5 overall and 3-4 in the SEC.
Freshman center Kara Braxton paces two Lady Bulldogs in double-digits, averaging 16.8 points per game. Sophomore forward Christi Thomas follows with 11.7 ppg.
Coach Andy Landers, in his 23rd season at Georgia, will be facing one of his former players and assistant coaches on Sunday in Bernadette Mattox. She transferred to Georgia after playing under Landers at Roane State in Tennessee. Landers took over the Georgia program in 1978. Mattox played two seasons for Landers (1980-81) and was an assistant coach for the Lady Bulldogs from 1982-90. She was UGA’s first female All-American and Academic All-American.
The Cats hope to snap a four-game losing streak to Georgia, dating back to 1999. The LadyBulldogs own a 21-8 advantage in the all-time series, including a 7-5 lead when playing in Lexington. Three years ago in Lexington, UK upset the eighth-ranked Lady Bulldogs, 80-76, marking Mattox’s first win over a ranked opponent and over former coach and boss Andy Landers. Georgia went on to finish 27-7 and reach the Final Four.
