LEXINGTON, Ky. – Fresh off completing final examinations, the Kentucky women?s basketball team looks to continue its winning ways Sunday when it meets Arkansas-Pine Bluff in Rupp Arena. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. EST and the game will be carried live on the Big Blue Sports Network (radio) with Neil Price. Single-game general admission tickets are available for $5 adults/$2 senior citizens and children ages 18 and under. UK students, faculty and staff are admitted free with valid identification based on availability. For more information, please contact the UK ticket office at (859) 257-1818 or (800) 928-CATS (2287).
The game marks the second of four consecutive Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) opponents for the Wildcats (5-3) and the first of four games to be played in the downtown Lexington venue, where Kentucky is 17-6 all-time, this season.
?We?re looking forward to getting back out on the floor after being off for a week,? UK Coach Mickie DeMoss said. ?I?m looking forward to being in Rupp Arena for the first time this year, which is always a little special for our team. Arkansas-Pine Bluff is an athletic team and they?ve played a really tough schedule. They?re getting better and better playing this tough schedule. They shoot the ball well and if we don?t come out and guard them, they are going to shoot the ball. We have to focus on Kentucky and not focus on anybody else?s record.?
UK is coming off a 75-46 rout of Alabama State in its only game last week. The Cats were led by sophomore point guard Carly Ormerod (Louisville, Ky.), who scored a career-high 21 points, including 7-of-7 shooting from the charity stripe. The Wildcats limited Alabama State to a season-low 27.4 (17-of-62) percent, including just six made field goals in the first half, and won the rebound battle by 22.
Junior guard Samantha Mahoney (Detroit) leads the way for Kentucky, averaging 14.0 ppg as one of three players averaging double-figure point totals on the year. Junior center Sarah Elliott (McKee, Ky.) follows with 12.1 ppg and Ormerod adds 11.3 ppg. Elliott and senior forward/center Jennifer Humphrey (Memphis, Tenn.) lead the team and are tied for third in the Southeastern Conference in rebounding, averaging 8.9 rpg apiece.
Arkansas-Pine Bluff (0-8) enters the game looking for its first win of the season. The Lady Lions are coming off a pair of tough losses at national powers Oklahoma and Baylor. They finished 7-21 overall last season and have been picked to finish eighth in the 10-team SWAC this season. UAPB averages 57.1 ppg and is shooting 33.3 percent from the floor, in addition to turning the ball over 24 times per game this season. Coach Danny Evans is in his second season at the helm, where he has compiled a 7-29 overall record.
Sunday?s game marks the first-ever meeting between the Wildcats and the Lady Lions. UK is 1-0 all-time vs. members of the SWAC after defeating Alabama State last week in Memorial Coliseum. UK also will face Mississippi Valley State and Southern ? both from the SWAC ? this season.
PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES – DEC. 15
Head Coach Mickie DeMoss
?We?re looking forward to getting back out on the floor; we?ve been off for a week. We just got through finals. I don?t think any coach in American enjoys coaching their team during finals week. Most players seem to be a little overwhelmed with the stresses it brings. I thought we were able to get through it and accomplish some good things. So, I?m just looking forward to being back out on the floor and being in Rupp Arena for the first time this year, which is always a little special for our team.?
On whether her team will be focused for Arkansas-Pine Bluff?
?They (her team) better be up. You can?t focus on a team?s record. If you?re in athletics, you fear nobody and respect everybody. That?s why they play the games. It has been a crazy pre-conference schedule across the country where people are beating people and they turn around and other people are beating that team. I know in the women?s game and even some of the men?s scores that I?ve seen, there is a lot of unpredictability going on. We have to focus on Kentucky and not focus on anybody else?s record.?
On getting the opportunity to put in new schemes against Arkansas-Pine Bluff?
?I hope so, if we can come out of the gates and establish our game early then we can look at some things we?ve been working on this week. If we?re put in a situation where we?re having to battle, we?re going to be limited with some things that we can do. It all depends on what kind of start we get off to.?
On her team playing four games in Rupp Arena this season?
?I think we really have the best of both worlds here. We have an opportunity to play in a building that has so much tradition in Memorial (Coliseum). I hear a lot of our fans say how much they enjoy coming to our games in Memorial. And then when we go to Rupp, that?s another great basketball venue. Last year when we started out, we lost our first two games at Rupp. Then of course later in the year we ended up beating Tennessee over there, and I look back on it and think that was a great venue to have that happen in. It?s about the same, I don?t think they get overly excited about it.?
On her team?s injuries to Amani Franklin and Lydia Watkins?
?I was told about an hour ago that they would get limited work today. Amani (Franklin) has some swelling in her knee. We?re going to put here in there early and see how that knee does. Then there is Lydia (Watkins) with her back which is the same situation.?
On getting to shoot around at Rupp in preparation for the game?
?We?re practicing over there today and tomorrow. A lot of times we can?t get into Rupp until the day before. For what ever reason, we?re going to be able to go over there today to get some extra shooting in, which I really think will be good for our players. When we?re on the road, this team really likes to get into the gym and get some extra shooting in to get used to the surroundings. That?s why we?re taking them over there today and tomorrow over to Rupp just so they can get used to the depth perception and the surroundings.?
On centering her team?s focus for the upcoming game?
?You have to focus on what you have to do. This is an opportunity. Every time you step onto the floor it is an opportunity. It?s an opportunity to get better. It?s an opportunity to play the game that you love. So, why would you waste an opportunity to go out and play and focus on getting better??
On Arkansas-Pine Bluff?
?They?re athletic. They?ve really played a tough schedule. They?ve played Oklahoma, they just played Baylor, Ole Miss, Michigan, Indiana State. They?re getting better and better playing this tough schedule. The film that we?ve watched, each game they play they are getting a little bit better. I just think they?re athletic and they shoot the ball well. If you don?t come out and guard them they are going to shoot it. Each time you go up against a team that is athletic they?re a little unpredictable. We have a little bit of trouble at times guarding people who just play in a more freelance type of offense. We?re better at guarding patterns.?
