LEXINGTON, Ky. ? The Kentucky women?s basketball team concludes its 2006-07 exhibition slate on Tuesday when it plays host to NAIA member Shawnee State (Portsmouth, Ohio). Tip-off in Memorial Coliseum is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST and the game will be carried live on the Big Blue Sports Network (radio) with Neil Price). The game will be open to the public free of charge with seating on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Kentucky is coming off a 77-60 win over Northern Kentucky last Wednesday in Memorial Coliseum. Junior guard Samantha Mahoney (Detroit) scored a personal-best 28 points on 11-for-19 shooting and 2-of-2 from beyond the arc. Mahoney led three players who scored in double figures, as all 12 Wildcats saw action in the game.
?After our first exhibition game we definitely saw what we needed to work on,? UK Coach Mickie DeMoss said. ?Our practices have been productive this week and we?ve been trying to improve our defense and rebounding. Those two areas are what brought us a lot of success last season.?
Shawnee State enters Tuesday?s contest with a 1-1 record after finishing as runners-up of their home tournament ? the Wendy?s Classic. Sophomore guard Kelly Wagner led the way for the Bears, averaging 21.0 points and 8.5 rebounds per game during the two-game stretch. As a freshman, she averaged 7.6 ppg with 18 starts. Shawnee State boasts a young lineup with junior guard Shannon Leasure as the team?s only upperclassman.
The Bears finished with a 25-8 record last season and advanced to the first round of the NAIA National Tournament with a top 10 national ranking. Tuesday?s game marks the first-ever meeting between Kentucky and Shawnee State in school history.
The Wildcats begin their 2006-07 regular season this weekend when they serve as hosts of the Women?s Sports Foundation Tournament Nov 10 and 12. Kentucky will face Washington State at 8 p.m. EST on Friday.
Tickets for the tournament are $10 for adults and $4 for youth age 18 and under. Children age five and under are admitted free. Single-game general admission tickets will allow spectators to watch both games of that day?s session. Call the UK ticket office at 859-257-1818 or 1-800-928-CATS (2287) for more information.
