LEXINGTON, Ky. ? It?s official. The Kentucky women?s basketball team will play host to the first round of the 2005 Postseason Sportsview.tv WNIT in Memorial Coliseum, as announced by WNIT officials Wednesday. The Wildcats will meet an opponent, to be determined after Selection Sunday. The game will be played either Thursday, March 17 or Friday, March 18 at 7 p.m. ET, depending on the UK men?s basketball NCAA schedule.
Season-ticket holders have until Monday, March 14 at 4 p.m. ET to purchase their same seats for the Sportsview.tv WNIT. Non-season ticket holders may place orders now for reserved seating. However, seat assignments will not be assigned until Tuesday, March 15.
Single-game general admission tickets are available for $7 adults/$4 for UK students, senior citizens and children ages 18 and under. To purchase tickets call the UK ticket office at 859-257-1818 or 1-800-928-CATS (2287). Ticket office hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET Monday-Friday.
The Wildcats (15-15) enter the Sportsview.tv WNIT, an annual event for women’s NCAA Division I basketball involving 32 women’s Division I basketball teams in a single-elimination format, by virtue of their outstanding season attendance and having won four games in the nation?s premier women?s basketball league, the Southeastern Conference. UK defeated nationally-ranked Georgia on Jan. 13 and had four conference games decided by six points or less.
?We are extremely excited about playing in the WNIT,? UK Coach Mickie DeMoss said. ?Our players are excited, especially our seniors who will play in the postseason for the first time in their careers. We are really pleased to host the first round in Memorial Coliseum. It?s a tribute to our great fan support. We have the best fans in the country and the WNIT has recognized that.?
In 15 home games, the Cats are 18th in the nation in average attendance, averaging a school record 5,301 fans per game. UK ranks third in the SEC in average attendance behind nationally-ranked Tennessee and LSU.
The Cats? roster features three seniors, including sharp shooter Sara Potts, who leads the team in scoring with 14.0 points per game and ranks among the SEC?s best in three-point shooting. A trio of freshmen has seen regular action in the starting lineup. Samantha Mahoney, Sarah Elliott and Chante? Bowman have started a combined 53 games in their rookie campaign and look to be the cornerstone of the UK Hoops rebuilding process.
This marks Kentucky’s first post-season appearance since the 1998-99 season when UK advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. It is UK?s third appearance in the WNIT and eighth overall postseason appearance in UK history.
UK is 5-1 in the WNIT with its last appearance in 1990. Under the direction of current Mississippi State coach Sharon Fanning, the Wildcats won the tournament title, defeating Maine, Miami (Fla.) and Toledo. UK also participated in the 1978 event, defeating Kansas in the first round before falling to Texas in the second round. UK ended tournament play with a win over Long Beach State for a third-place finish.
-UK Hoops-
