Kentucky to Open SEC Play with Pair of Road Tests

OXFORD, Miss. – After opening the spring with a 6-6 non-conference record, Kentucky will commence Southeastern Conference play this weekend with a pair of road matches versus nationally ranked opponents located just 100 miles apart. The Cats will take on No. 30 Ole Miss on Friday at 7 p.m. ET, followed by a matchup with No. 8 Mississippi State on Sunday at 2 p.m.
 
Kentucky dropped a 4-3 decision to No. 21 Oklahoma last Sunday at the USTA National Campus Collegiate Series in Orlando, Fla., despite never trailing until the match’s final point. Junior Cesar Bourgois and sophomore Kento Yamada each picked up singles wins over the Sooners, improving the latter’s record to 11-0 in 2019.
 
Ole Miss (7-4) enters Friday on the heels of a 4-1 loss to Arizona in the Blue Gray National Tennis Classic last Saturday, snapping a five-match winning streak. Kentucky looks to leave Oxford with a similar result to last year’s head-to-head matchup in Lexington, which ended in a 4-0 sweep of the Rebels.
 
Mississippi State enters the weekend as the SEC’s most highly ranked unit, posting an 8-2 mark on the season. The Bulldogs’ latest triumph came by way of a 4-2 win over Oklahoma in Orlando, one day prior to the Wildcats’ most recent outing. UK has not defeated Mississippi State since 2014.
 
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