Nov. 27, 2012
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The No. 9/8 Kentucky women’s basketball team concludes its four-game homestand when it plays host to Miami University on Wednesday, Nov. 28 at 11 a.m. ET for “Class of 2019 Day.”
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| Kentucky vs. Miami (Oh) Weds., Nov. 28 – 11:00 a.m. ET Lexington, Ky. Fan Guide Game Notes: UK  | Miami |
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Gameday Live : Live audio, blog, and stats Radio: UK IMG Live Video (subscription) Live Audio Gametracker Text Updates |
The game can be heard live on the UK IMG Sports Radio Network with Neil Price. 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.
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. UK students, faculty and staff are also admitted for free, based upon availability.
“We are looking forward to getting back in Memorial Coliseum tomorrow morning,” UK Coach Matthew Mitchell said. “We are facing a tough opponent in Miami University. We’ve had some tough games against them in the past few years and they are always well prepared and well coached. We will need to be ready to give a great effort. I was happy that we gave a better effort in our last outing and the real key for our team is to stay focused on our attitude, which will lead to great effort and we also need to keep our energy level really high.”
The Wildcats (4-1) look to gain energy and feed off the excitement of more than 2,000 sixth graders from local elementary schools who will be in attendance for UK’s “Class of 2019 Day.”
“It’s been a great effort from our Marketing Department,” Mitchell said. “(Assistant Athletics Director for Marketing) Nathan Schwake has just reached out to our community and we’ve tried to make certain that families here in town and young kids here in town know that they’re important to us and it’s a great experience for them to come to Memorial Coliseum and watch a game and see some great role models out there. Our players are successful students, successful basketball players and great in the community so we just think it’s a really positive day for us and it’s a chance for us to get some exposure for the University to some young students and hopefully you make a great impression on them and one day they become students here at the University. It’s a really important day for us each and every year and we always enjoy this game.”
The Wildcats have won their last three games, including a 100-34 victory over USC Upstate on Sunday. The 66-point margin of victory is the largest in Southeastern Conference play this season and the fifth largest in UK Hoops’ history. It gave the Wildcats their 34th straight win over a nonconference opponent at home and their 24th consecutive overall win at home, which ranks as the third-longest home winning streak in school history. The streak also ties for the nation’s third-longest home winning streak with Ohio State. UK has compiled an impressive 52-2 record at home over the last three seasons.
Miami, picked to win the Mid-American Conference East Division, is 3-2 after a loss to Youngstown State in its last game Sunday at home, 76-56. The RedHawks’ three wins came against Northern Kentucky, Robert Morris and the College of Charleston. Senior Courtney Osborn is Miami’s leading scorer at 18.0 points per game. Senior Kirsten Olowinski follows with 9.0 points per game, while also grabbing a team-high 8.4 rebounds per game.
Wednesday marks the 18th matchup between Kentucky and Miami in program history. UK leads the all-time series 15-2, including an 8-0 mark in Lexington. UK has won the last five matchups.
Spectator parking is located in the following areas for Wednesday only:
For this game only, all parking lots surrounding Memorial Coliseum and the Joe Craft Center require a UK parking permit. Parking without a proper permit, along yellow curbs, grass spaces, or other non-specified and unapproved areas may be subject to ticket and/or tow.
Parking is available those without permits in the following areas:
- Parking Structure #5 (adjacent to Kennedy’s Bookstore) accessible from Limestone or Upper.
- Bring the white parking voucher from the parking garage and exchange it for a pink voucher at the Coliseum, allowing you to exit the garage free of charge. Vouchers will be available at all entrances. See event staff for assistance.
- A shuttle is available beginning 1.5 hours prior to tip off.
- The shuttle picks up/drops off on Administration Drive, at the end of the pedestrian sky bridge accessed from the 3rd floor of the parking garage.
- The shuttle will start back up 1.5 hours after tip-off (to return guests to their parking areas)
- If PS#5 is full, the alternate parking option is the RV Lot located off Alumni Drive and across from Commonwealth Stadium.
- A shuttle is available beginning 1.5 hours prior to tip off
- The shuttle will start back up 1.5 hours after tip-off (to return guests to their parking areas)
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.
For more information on parking around Memorial Coliseum and other game-day questions visit www.ukathletics.com/wbbgameday
Media Opportunity – Nov. 27, 2012
Kentucky Head Coach Matthew Mitchell
Opening Statement …
“We are looking forward to getting back in Memorial Coliseum tomorrow morning. We are facing a tough opponent in Miami University. We’ve had some tough games against them in the past few years and they are always well prepared and well coached. We will need to be ready to give a great effort. I was happy that we gave a better effort in our last outing and the real key for our team is to stay focused on our attitude, which will lead to great effort and we also need to keep our energy level really high. Looking forward to welcoming in a bunch of Fayette County students and other students from surrounding areas so that will bring plenty of energy to the building tomorrow morning. It’s a big day for us and we need to work hard to come out with a win.”
On how the idea of having an Education Day began …
“It’s been a great effort from our Marketing Department and Nathan Schwake has just reached out to our community and we’ve tried to make certain that families here in town and young kids here in town know that they’re important to us and it’s a great experience for them to come to Memorial Coliseum and watch a game and see some great role models out there. Our players are successful students, successful basketball players and great in the community so we just think it’s a really positive day for us and it’s a chance for us to get some exposure for the University to some young students and hopefully you make a great impression on them and one day they become students here at the University. It’s a really important day for us each and every year and we always enjoy this game.”
On the adjustment to the 11:00 a.m. game time …
“I don’t worry about it because of the time of day. You are always concerned as a coach trying to make sure your team is prepared but our team functions really well and works extremely hard. They are up in the summer four days a week at 5:30 in the morning. I think 11:00 will be just fine for them, they will be alright and we will be ready to roll. Not a lot of concern there just concerned about our opponent and the challenges that they pose will be what we are most concerned about.”
On the problems Miami University presents …
“They play five-out motion and really spread the floor so when you play defense the way we do you really have to pay attention to your positioning because if you get overly concerned with your player and you don’t see where the ball is and you don’t get into help side they can really spread you out and open some driving lanes so that’s a problem. Really what is the big problem is they can kick it out to some open shooters if you are not really paying attention to what you need to do. We need to play great pressure defense tomorrow. We need to try to take them out of what they are trying to accomplish the way we do with every opponent. We need to really do a good job with our full court press because the more you allow them to set up and run their stuff the more comfortable they are so we need to try to make them uncomfortable tomorrow.”
On the team’s effort given against USC Upstate and the last couple of practices …
“I thought we were much more energetic than we were on Friday. I just thought our mindset and our approach to the game was much better and we clearly had an advantage in the game talent wise. I didn’t feel like they just showed up and were going through the motions I really thought they were paying attention and getting some things done. We took much better care of the basketball; we still need to improve in that area. I think that’s probably the top priority for us right now on offense is just making better decisions and really taking care of the basketball so that’s important.”
