KENTUCKY WILDCATS (4-6, 0-0 SEC)
vs. #23/RV OLD DOMINION LADY MONARCHS (7-3 0-0 COLONIAL)
Friday, Dec. 28 ? 7 p.m. EST
Lexington, Ky. ? (8,500)
TV: BBSN/FSN South
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The Kentucky women?s basketball team looks to snap its two-game losing skid when it plays host to No. 23 Old Dominion Friday, Dec. 28 at 7 p.m. EST in Memorial Coliseum. It will mark the 11th meeting all-time between the rivals and the first in Lexington since Jan. 23, 1987. The game will be broadcast live on the Big Blue Sports Network (radio/TV) and FSN South (TV).
Single-game general admission tickets are available for $5 adults/$2 senior citizens and children 6-18. Ages five and under are admitted free. UK students, faculty and staff also are admitted free with valid identification based on availability. For ticket information, log on to ukathletics.com or call the UK ticket office at 859-257-1818 or 1-800-928-CATS (2287).
Friday?s game begins a brutal stretch for the Wildcats as they play three games in five days. After the ODU game, UK will meet South Alabama Sunday, Dec. 30 before returning home to face Xavier Tuesday, Jan. 1 in Memorial Coliseum.
The Wildcats (4-6) are coming off a tough 80-65 loss to intrastate rival Louisville on Dec. 20 in Rupp Arena. Sophomore Amani Franklin (Decatur, Ga.) led UK in scoring with a career-high 18 points. Senior Sarah Elliott (McKee, Ky.) followed with 12 points and a season-high 13 rebounds for her 11th career double-double. She also swatted a season-best five blocks and now holds the school record for blocks in a career with 161.
?The players had a few days at home with their families and I?m sure they enjoyed that,? UK Coach Matthew Mitchell said. ?Since they have come back we have had three pretty good practices. I have seen some good things happen and we have an excellent opportunity to see where we stand against another quality opponent in Old Dominion. Old Dominion is a very good team and they have had a very good season. This will be a big test for us.?
Senior guard Samantha Mahoney (Detroit) leads the team in scoring this season, averaging 16.9 points per game which ranks fourth in the Southeastern Conference. Elliott follows Mahoney in the scoring column with 12.1 ppg. She also pulls down a team-high 7.4 rebounds and charts 2.2 blocks per game.
Old Dominion, located in Norfolk, Va., is 7-3 overall and enters the game after a 70-28 pounding of Delaware State on Dec. 20. The 23rd-ranked Lady Monarchs are led in scoring by senior guard T.J. Jordan with 16.9 points per game despite having missed the last two games with injury. She is followed in the scoring column by sophomore reserve forward Jessica Canady at 9.8 points per contest. Third-leading scorer Tiffany Green is pouring in 9.1 points per game along with grabbing a team-leading 7.9 rebounds per game.
This is the 11th meeting between Kentucky and Old Dominion. ODU leads the series 7-3, but UK holds a 2-1 advantage in Lexington. This is the Cats? first meeting against the Lady Monarchs in Memorial since Jan. 23, 1987.
The two storied programs met nine times during the late part of the 1970s and early 1980s, playing in 1979 and 1980 and annually from 1982 until 1987. The Lady Monarchs won all but two of the nine meetings although four of the last five games were decided by nine points or less. Both teams were considered two of the premier programs in the country during the early 1980s, battling for national rankings and the attendance title every year.
UK holds a two-game winning streak in the series after defeating ODU last season in Norfolk, Va., 68-55.
PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES – DEC. 27
Head Coach Matthew Mitchell
Opening Statement?
?We are looking forward to another opportunity to see if we have improved any since out last time out against Louisville. The players had a few days at home with their families and I?m sure they enjoyed that. Since they have come back we have had three pretty good practices. I have seen some good things happen and we have an excellent opportunity to see where we stand against another quality opponent in Old Dominion. Old Dominion is a very good team and they have had a very good season. This will be a big test for us that I feel like we are very prepared for.?
On how they came back after break?
?Well, the Louisville game was very disappointing. It was a tough loss. I think they came back with the intent of being and playing better. The Louisville game was such an emotional game. I was probably a little rough on the team on the standpoint of not taking into account the big challenges we had in that game from a physical stand point. I think that if you take away anybody?s top two point guards then you will have trouble. We really had some good spots in the game. We played a little better than I had seen until that night. It was a very emotional game and we wanted to do well. On film I saw some progress defensively with our team. We certainly played better in the second half. I think we are all very disappointed as a whole on how we played against Louisville. Once we got back from Christmas I think we were ready to put that one behind us and get going. I have been real pleased with the way we have practiced. We have Amber Smith back now and that will help us out a lot. Carly (Omerod) gave a valiant effort against Louisville but she just cannot go because of her foot. It looks she will be out another couple of weeks. But having Amber come back and have a point guard that is a little more comfortable in that position will help us. All year we have not been able to stay healthy and that has caused some issues. Lydia is coming back and (Eleia) Roddy worked out today. Once we get healthier then we will get better.?
On keeping a positive attitude?
?It is tough because we are all competitive and we all competitors. I was extremely positive coming into the season as well as the players. I think we actually feel better than how we have been playing. I think we have a hard time staying upbeat and positive because we want to do really well. I think that is a good thing with the players. One thing we have talked about with the players is not letting our strengths become our weaknesses. We need to wipe the slate clean. We are not as far away as some people think. I feel good about our mental state right now and go day-by-day. The last two days have been encouraging from a coach?s stand point.?
On Carly Ormerod?s injury?
?She is not going in for another MRI. There has been no change in her injury. She has just not been able to get pain free. She gave it a go in the Louisville game but by the second half she was in a lot of pain. I could tell that she was not capable of being the same player she normally is. She is very frustrated and down right now. We met yesterday and talked and she realizes that that there is nothing she can do about it other than rest it. We feel like if we can continue to rest her then that is the most important thing we can do. It is a frustrating injury because there is no clear cut timeline for when it will be better.?
On staying positive through this rough time?
?I talk to our players all the time about three things: honesty, hard work, discipline. I don?t think I can run around and say everything is going to be alright and never address the issues. However, there is also a point that you can?t only focus on the negative issues. I think that the players understand that I haven?t been happy about some of the things that we have done. I came back after Christmas with a more positive outlook and attitude because I know our players need me to do that. I know that our players are giving effort. We have good coaches and players and we will get to where we need to be.?
Kentucky Players
#11 Samantha Mahoney, G
On staying positive?
?Coach talked to us about maintaining a good attitude and outlook on the season. This season is far from over and we still have a lot of games left. Sometimes that is easier said than done but it is something that we have to do. We have to stay positive with our team to get some more wins.?
On her play against Louisville?
?In the Louisville game I missed a lot of shots. I have put that behind me now. I was running a lot of point guard that game and that was a lot different then what I am used to. Now, with Amber back, I should be freed up from that position to get back to my normal role.?
On how a win tomorrow would help the team?
?I think it would do a whole lot for our confidence. It would raise our morale. Old Dominion is a really good team so beating them would do a lot for us.?
#12 Lydia Watkins, F
On her enthusiasm and positive attitude?
?Attitude plays a big part in being successful. We had a lot of things to think about over Christmas break and now that we have come back I think we are all ready.?
On her play against Louisville and how it helped spark the team?
?Coach has been talking to us about showing more emotion and playing with more emotion. I didn?t think I did all that much until I saw the tape. My play and emotions got the team pumped up and I think it rubbed off on some of my teammates.?
