The Kentucky women?s basketball team will play host to Mid-American Conference member Eastern Michigan in the first round of the Sportsview.tv Women?s National Invitational Tournament. The teams will square off Friday, March 18 at 7 p.m. EST in Memorial Coliseum. The game will be carried live on WLXG 1300 AM with Chris Cross.

For tickets, call the UK Ticket Office at (859) 257-1818 or (800) 928-CATS (2287). Ticket office hours are 9 a.m.-4 p.m. EST Monday-Friday. Ticket prices are: $7 for all reserved seats, regardless of age. General admission tickets are $7 adults/$4 for UK students, senior citizens and children ages 18 and under.

?Being able to participate in post season play is a great step for our program,? UK Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart said. ?I am happy for our seniors that they will have an opportunity to distinguish themselves at Kentucky. I am also happy for Coach [Mickie] DeMoss and her staff, more importantly our fans who have been so good about supporting this team and have earned the right to watch the Cats play at home.?

This will be the first meeting between Kentucky and Eastern Michigan. UK is 32-6 all-time vs. teams from the MAC, having defeated Marshall earlier this year 73-55 in Huntington, W.Va. The Eagles advanced to the Sportsview.tv WNIT with a 23-7 overall record, including an 11-5 (4th) finish in the MAC. Last year?s MAC Tournament Champion, the Eagles are led by senior guard Ryan Coleman?s team-high 17.5 points per game. Head coach Suzy Merchant is in her seventh season at the helm of the Eastern Michigan program.

The Wildcats (15-15) are one of four Southeastern Conference 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.

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.

Should UK advance, it would face either UT-Chattanooga or Villanova in the second round. Date and location for that game has not yet been determined.