The 2005-06 edition of the UK women’s basketball team participated in Big Blue Madness, the annual celebration of the beginning of basketball practice. The women scrimmaged prior to the introductions of the men’s basketball team in front of 23,174 fans at Rupp Arena. The crowd marked a national attendance record for a Midnight Madness-type event, breaking North Carolina’s mark of 21,700 set in 2003. Scroll down for a complete from Big Blue Madness
Head Coach Mickie DeMoss Pre-Madness Quotes
On having Big Blue Madness earlier this year?
?I am extremely glad that we moved it up this year. It?s better for the players as well because normally we don?t get home from Madness until 2 or 3 a.m. and that?s difficult when we have practice the next day. It benefits everybody to move it up.?
On the role of sophomore center Sarah Elliott?
?Sarah is 6-foot-6 and had a really good freshman year. She was an All-SEC Freshman team selection last season. She can be a big presence on both ends of the floor. She shot over 50 percent from the floor last season and defensively she set a record for blocked shots by freshman. She?s healthy now after having surgery this spring. She worked very hard this summer in order to get healthy. She is in good shape and we?re expecting great things from her in this year.?
On her evaluation of the team?
?If the fall practices are any indication, I think we are very close to where we need to be. We have more team speed and quickness. We have a lot more athletic ability and have the players to compete in this conference. When you?re playing in the SEC, you?d better have some athleticism or you?re going to get overpowered. We now have the players that can compete at that level. We?re still going to be young in some spots, but I think everybody is going to like our team speed and team quickness.?
On the 2005-2006 schedule?
?We have a balance in our pre-conference schedule with some teams that we should beat ? hopefully that will inspire some confidence ? in these young players and we have some pretty tough games as well. This should help prepare us for SEC play. The pre-conference schedule is very important because in the SEC, you?ve got Tennessee and LSU ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the country, not just the conference. Georgia is ranked in the top 10 in most polls and Vanderbilt in the top 15, so the conference continues to be very strong every year.?
On having a freshman starting at the point guard position?
?Right now, I?d have to say that one of the freshmen probably will start at the point guard position. I am very pleased with both Carly Ormerod and Oreonna Taylor. Carly has learned our offensive system extremely quick and she understands our defensive system. She?s just a natural leader.?
On whether the new NCAA practice regulations have helped her team?
?I think that the new NCAA rules that allow us to have more players at practice have allowed us to put in a lot of our offensive system. I know that a lot of my colleagues have done the same things, so we are a little ahead of where we were last year and I think you?ll see a better quality of play because of that. We?ve been able to work with our entire team more than we?ve done in the past.?
On playing four home games at Rupp Arena this upcoming season?
?I think where we are in the program right now, that was our goal every year to be able to play more games at Rupp. We have had the crowd support to be able to justify being over here. With selling over 4,000 season tickets already, we certainly have that. I tell people that being able to play over at Rupp gives us the best of both worlds. I think that Memorial Coliseum has tremendous character and gives us a great home court advantage. I think Rupp Arena is the Cadillac for basketball venues in the country and we really enjoy being over here.
