Nov. 7, 2008
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Kentucky women’s basketball team concludes its 2008-09 exhibition slate on Sunday when it plays host to Division II member Bellarmine (Louisville, Ky.). Tip-off in Memorial Coliseum is scheduled for 2 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.
Fans are encouraged to park in Parking Structure 5 located next to Kennedy’s Bookstore on Limestone Avenue. Parking within Parking Structure 5 will be available free of charge. A shuttle bus service also will be provided and begins one hour prior to game time until one hour after the game. Additional game day parking is available in the E lots surrounding Memorial Coliseum including the Martin Luther King Parking Lot and the Student Center Parking Lot. The R lot (residential), directly north of the Joe Craft Center is not available for event parking, vehicles will be subject to ticket/tow.
Kentucky is coming off a 99-28 rout of Kentucky State on Wednesday in exhibition play. Senior Eleia Roddy (Columbus, Ohio) scored 21 points to lead four Wildcats in double figures.
Roddy, who missed the first 12 games of the season last year with injury, came out on fire in the first half against KSU, netting 8-of-8 from the floor for a career high-tying 17 points. She finished 9-of-11 from the floor while also grabbing a team high-tying eight rebounds and blocking two shots. Amani Franklin (Stone Mountain, Ga.) and Carly Ormerod (Louisville, Ky.) added 18 and 14 points, respectively while All-SEC second team selection Victoria Dunlap (Nashville, Tenn.) scored 13 points, grabbed eight rebounds and five steals. All 10 players that saw action scored at least three points, including sophomore Amber Smith who charted eight points. It marked her first game action since being sidelined by a knee injury vs. Tennessee on Feb. 3 of last season.
“After our first exhibition game we definitely saw what we needed to work on,” UK Coach Matthew Mitchell said. “Sometimes our defense was too aggressive with the hand checks and we need to cut down on that. Creating points off turnovers also needs to be a strength for us. I thought we shot the ball really well last week and we need to continue using the press and aggressive defense to create scoring opportunities.”
This is Bellarmine’s first exhibition game of the season. The Knights, led by Coach David Smith, finished 20-12 overall and 12-7 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) last season. BU advanced to the NCAA II Tournament before falling to Drury in the first round.
Sunday’s game marks the seventh overall meeting between the schools, dating back to the 1971-72 season. It’s the fourth matchup in the modern era, since UK Hoops became a varsity sport in 1974-75. UK leads the all-time series 3-0, its last win coming on Feb. 6, 1976 in Louisville, Ky. (72-52).
The Wildcats begin their 2008-09 regular season next weekend when they play host to Big Ten foe Michigan Saturday, Nov. 15 at 2 p.m. EST in Memorial Coliseum.
