Sept. 21, 2002

The University of Kentucky will tip off its 100th season of men’s basketball with Big Blue Madness on Friday, Oct. 11 at Memorial Coliseum. Doors open at 10:30 p.m. and the team will make its first appearance at 12:01 a.m., the first official day college basketball teams may practice (Oct. 12).

Free tickets will be distributed on Oct. 5 at 10 a.m. at the front ticket windows of Memorial Coliseum. The general public may pick up four tickets per person. To encourage a boisterous student section, students may pick up two tickets per person at a dedicated window.

A select number of Madness tickets may be obtained on-line at ukathletics.com beginning at 10 a.m. on Oct. 5. All Internet orders will be assessed a service charge.

The UK volleyball team will battle Tennessee in an important Southeastern Conference match-up that night at 7 p.m. in the Coliseum. It too is free and open to the public.

This will mark the earliest start to college basketball practice. NCAA rules allow teams to begin practicing on the Saturday closest to Oct. 15.