Nov. 17, 2002

Lexington, Ky. – The University of Kentucky women’s basketball team won its final exhibition game against the Premier All-Stars, 89-70, on Sunday, Nov. 17 in Memorial Coliseum. The game was the final tune-up for the Cats before the regular season starts in eight days.

The Wildcats placed five players in double-figures, led by SeSe Helm’s 17 points and nine rebounds. Sara Potts added 14 points while Shambrica Jones and Racquel Ellis, along with Jenny Pfeiffer, chipped in 11 points each.

“I think this team has really matured,” UK Coach Bernadette Mattox said. “For two years, when you’ve gone through what they have, you take the bumps and the lumps and you’re going to mature.”

The Cats took a slim 39-33 lead into halftime, but outscored the All-Stars 50-37 in the second half to clinch the win. Potts, who led UK with 24 points in the previous exhibition game, poured in 12 points in the opening stanza.

Early in the second half, the All-Stars closed to within two, 42-40, before Kentucky went on a 15-2 spurt, powered by seven points from Helm, to extend its lead to 57-42. UK later put the game out of reach with an 11-3 run, highlighted by a Pfeiffer three-pointer and back-to-back Jones baskets. The Cats were in control the rest of the way, building their lead to 27 points.

“We were really unselfish tonight,” Mattox said. “When one wasn’t scoring, the other picked up.”

The UK defense held the Premier All-Stars to just 35.1 percent shooting for the game, while the Cats blistered the nets at 49.3 percent.

“There’s been tremendous improvement,” Helm said. “We’re a different team. Everyone is showing such heart and so much intensity. We’ve become a much more mature group.”

Kentucky will open its 29th season of basketball on Monday, Nov. 25, at 7 p.m. when its plays host to Northern Illinois to start the regular-season.