Jan. 25, 2003
Lexington, Ky. – The Kentucky women’s basketball team travels to No. 24 Georgia on Super Bowl Sunday for the only regular-season meeting between the teams this season. The game will tip off at 2:30 p.m. ET at Stegeman Coliseum in Athens, Ga.
The Wildcats (9-7, 2-2 Southeastern Conference) are coming off an impressive 83-66 victory over Ole Miss on Thursday and hope the momentum carries over to the road. The Cats are still looking for their first road win of the season. Georgia is riding a seven-game win streak, including a six-game win streak at home. The Lady Dogs most recently defeated Alabama, 77-47, on Thursday in Tuscaloosa.
UK Coach Bernadette Mattox faces her former boss and coach in Georgia Coach Andy Landers for the 11th time in her coaching career. Mattox transferred to Georgia after playing under Landers at Roane State (Tenn.). She played for him for two seasons at UGA (1980-81). Members of Georgia’s 1983 Final Four team – the first of UGA’s five Final Four squads – will be honored during halftime. Mattox served as an assistant coach at Georgia from 1982-90 before leaving to become an assistant coach for Rick Pitino on the men’s side at Kentucky. She was in her first season as a graduate assistant during Georgia’s run for the NCAA title in 1983.
“There will be a lot of festivities going on with the ’83 team reunion but like I told Coach Landers, I’m coming strictly for business,” Mattox said. “Obviously Georgia has a great team and it’s always tough to play on the road in this conference. We have to remain focused and poised. It’s also important that we play two solid halves and limit our turnovers.”
Georgia returned to the Associated Press top 25 this week after winning six straight, including wins over Florida, Ole Miss and No. 15 South Carolina. Kara Braxton and Christi Thomas are Georgia’s leading scorers and rebounders this season. Braxton leads four Lady Dogs in double-digits with 16.6 points and 7.3 rebounds. Thomas is averaging 15.6 points and a team-high 7.7 rebounds. Coach Landers is in his 24th season at Georgia and owns a 22-8 record against Kentucky.
The Cats are led by Rita Adams with 13.7 ppg. Sara Potts and SeSe Helm follow with 11.6 and 11.0 points, respectively while Jenny Pfeiffer, who is out indefinitely with a broken left hand, rounds out the scoring column at 10.3 ppg.
Kentucky has a 4-6 record on Super Bowl Sunday, including a 1-1 mark versus Georgia. On Jan. 30, 1983, the Wildcats defeated UGA, 66-59, in Lexington on the same day that Washington defeated Miami, 27-17, in Super Bowl XVII. Last year, UGA defeated the Cats, 76-50, in Lexington on Feb. 3, 2002, as New England defeated St. Louis, 20-17, in Super Bowl XXXVI.
The Cats hope to snap a five-game losing streak to Georgia, dating back to 1999. The Lady Dogs own a 22-8 advantage in the all-time series, including an 11-2 lead when playing in Athens. UK’s last win in Athens was in 1994, a thrilling 71-70 victory.
