Feb. 12, 2003
Lexington, Ky. – The Kentucky women’s basketball team looks to snap a four-game losing skid when it plays host to 13th-ranked Arkansas on Thursday, Feb. 13 at 7 p.m. in Memorial Coliseum. The game is the only regular season meeting with the Lady Razorbacks this season.
UK (9-11, 2-6 Southeastern Conference) is coming off a 63-85 loss to #19/18 Vanderbilt on Sunday while Arkansas (18-5, 5-3 SEC) enters Memorial Coliseum having won its last two league games over Alabama and most recently Ole Miss.
The teams are meeting for only the 17th time in the series. UK and Arkansas first met in 1983 with UK coming out on top, 77-43. The 33-point margin marks the largest margin of victory over an Arkansas team in the series. Arkansas leas the series 10-6 but Kentucky is 5-2 against the Lady ‘Backs in Lexington. Arkansas’ last win in Memorial Coliseum was in 2001 (84-78).Arkansas has won eight of the last nine games against the Cats, including four straight. However, three of the last four games have been played in Fayetteville where the Lady ‘Backs have never had a losing season and haven’t lost more than five games at home since the 1980-81 season when they went 7-6.
“We are staying positive and focused right now,” UK Coach Bernadette Mattox said. “We have to limit turnovers. That’s the key. We’ve really haven’t taken care of the basketball in these last few games and if order for us to win in this conference we have to limit our mistakes.”
Kentucky has four players averaging in double-digit scoring this season. Rita Adams leads with 14.3 points per game and Sara Potts follows with 12.2 ppg. SeSe Helm and Jennifer Humphrey are averaging 11.1 and 8.2 ppg, respectively. Helm is UK’s leading rebounder, grabbing 6.9 boards a game.
Shameka Christon leads three Arkansas players in double-digit scoring this season with an average of 15.4 points a game. India Lewis and Dana Cherry follow with 14.3 and 11.2 ppg, respectively.
Coach Gary Blair is in his 18th overall season, his 10th at Arkansas. He has compiled a 194-114 mark with the Lady Razorbacks, including a 9-3 record against UK.
Arkansas is ranked 13th in this week’s national polls, marking Kentucky’s fifth ranked opponent in seven games. The Cats are scheduled to face three more ranked teams in Mississippi State, South Carolina and Tennessee.
