Nov. 9, 2012
LEXINGTON, Ky. –No. 6/7 Kentucky women’s basketball opens its 39th season of varsity women’s basketball on Saturday, Nov. 10 when the Wildcats play host to first-time opponent Delaware State at 1 p.m. ET in Memorial Coliseum.
Single-game reserved tickets are available at a cost of $9 for all ages. General admission tickets for adults are $8 while single-game general admission tickets for seniors and children (ages 6-18, 65 and over) are only $5. Children ages five and under are admitted free in the general admission seating area.
Season tickets are also still available for $65. Lower-level chair back seating ($80) is sold out.
The game can be heard live on the UK IMG Sports Radio Network with Neil Price calling the action for the eighth consecutive season. Fans can follow the UK Hoops team on Twitter at @UKHoopCats and use #UKHoops to comment on the game. A live video stream is available on the subscription video portion of www.UKathletics.com.
“We are tipping off in Memorial Coliseum tomorrow and we are looking forward to it,” UK Coach Matthew Mitchell said. “We would like to encourage everyone to come out and watch us play. I believe we have a great year ahead. I think you can look at this team to play with a great attitude, great effort and energy. Delaware State is not a team that we know too much about, because they have a new head coach. But we plan on coming out strong tomorrow and hopefully come away with a victory.”
Delaware State, located in Dover, Del., is led by first-year head coach Tamika Louis. She was hired in May of 2012 after spending last season as an assistant coach at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. Overall, she has spent 14 years coaching and recruiting at the NCAA Division I, junior college and high school levels.
The Hornets were picked to finish 11th in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and redshirt sophomore Tierra Hawkins was selected to the MEAC Preseason All-First Team. DSU returns all five starters from a squad that finished 7-23 overall, 4-12 in the MEAC last season.
UK returns 10 letter winners and four starters from a team that went 28-7 overall last season, including a school-record 13 Southeastern Conference victories. The Wildcats advanced to their third consecutive NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history, including their second Elite Eight in the last three seasons.
The Wildcats’ roster is highlighted by the preseason SEC Player of the Year pick in senior guard A’dia Mathies (Louisville, Ky.). Also returning is the 2012 SEC Freshman of the Year Bria Goss (Indianapolis) and preseason All-SEC second-team selection Samarie Walker (West Carrollton, Ohio). Redshirt sophomore Jennifer O’Neill (Bronx, N.Y.), who sat out the 2011-12 season due to injury, and DeNesha Stallworth (Richmond, Calif.), an All-Pac-10 selection who sat out last season due to transfer regulations, also will be available this season. New faces to the roster are sophomore junior college transfer Jelleah Sidney (Queens Village, N.Y.) and freshman McDonald’s All-American Janee Thompson (Chicago).
Saturday will mark the season opener for both teams and UK’s first meeting against Delaware State. The Wildcats are 7-0 all-time vs. teams from the current alignment of the MEAC. The Cats are 34-4 all-time in home openers and have won three in a row.
The Cats own a 357-140 (71.8) mark in Memorial Coliseum, including a 67-12 (84.8) record under Coach Matthew Mitchell. The Cats are 48-2 at home over the last three seasons (including one game in Rupp Arena). UK’s current 20-game home winning streak is the third-longest winning streak in school history and ranks tied for fourth nationally. The Wildcats have won 31-consecutive nonconference games at home, dating back to Dec. 19, 2008.
Due to construction around Memorial Coliseum, UK Hoops is providing two free shuttle services. Below is the updated information on where to park for the upcoming home season.
Spectator parking is located in the following areas:
• All E-lots surrounding Memorial Coliseum beginning 3 hours prior to tip-off
• Parking Structure #5 (adjacent to Kennedy’s Bookstore).
• Lexington Authority Transit Center Parking Garage (new for the 2012-13 season).
• The Lexington Parking Authority Transit Center Parking Garage, located between High Street and Vine Street, is available for parking after 5 p.m. ET during the week and all day on the weekends. Additionally, a free shuttle service will pick up in the LR Cooke Lot near the corner of High Street and Martin Luther King beginning 1.5 hours prior to tip.
• Handicap parking is available in the E-Lot (Employee Lot) north of the Craft Center, adjacent to the metered spaces running along the frontage of the Craft Center with a valid, state issued handicap tag. These spaces (typically 20-30 stalls) are available on a first-come, first-serve basis until full.
Please note: parking is prohibited in any R (Residential) lots. Vehicles parking in Residential lots without a proper permit, along yellow curbs, grass spaces, or other non-specified and unapproved areas may be subject to ticket and/or tow.
Shuttle Information:
• Shuttles are available beginning 1.5 hours prior to tip off from Parking Structure # 5 located off Limestone and Upper Street and the Transit Center Parking Garage located off High Street and Vine Street.
• Parking Structure # 5 (blue route) picks up/drops off on Administration Drive, at the end of the pedestrian sky bridge accessed from the 3rd floor of the parking garage.
• Transit Center Parking Garage (green route) picks up/drops off near the corner of High Street and Martin Luther King.
• Shuttles will start back up 1.5 hours after tip-off (to return guests to their parking areas).
• See the attached shuttle map and route information diagrams for additional information.
Game day Information:
• Doors to the Coliseum will open one (1) hour prior to tip-off.
• UK Athletics encourages women’s basketball fans to arrive early to ease traffic and parking congestion around the Coliseum.
• Surface event lots (i.e. Student Center, Joe Craft Center North and Good Samaritan Surface Lot) typically reach capacity approximately 45 minutes prior to tip-off, at which point, vehicles should proceed to Parking Structure #5 (PS#5) or the Lexington Authority Transit Center Parking Garage.
