Big Blue Preview: No. 12/13 Kentucky Women’s Basketball Plays Host to Wright State on Friday
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The No. 12/13 University of Kentucky women’s basketball program, who also is seventh in the newest NET rankings, will play host to Wright State inside Historic Memorial Coliseum on Friday, Dec. 19 at 6:30 p.m. ET.
It is the program’s annual holiday game, which includes numerous promotions.
Junior Wildcat Club members can claim their famous Wildcat on the Shelf at this game. Sign up the kiddos in your family for Junior Wildcat Club today by clicking here or junior fans can sign up in-person at the game tomorrow, keeping in mind junior fans will experience a smoother experience by signing up ahead of time.
Moreover, the program will be hosting a Winter Wonderland Toy Drive. Help the Kentucky Children’s Hospital ensure every child receives a special gift during their stay and bring a toy to the game from the wish lists below:
Doors open to fans one hour prior to tip.
Fans can still purchase single-game tickets to the Kentucky-Wright State game and all 10 of the program’s remaining home games this season. To shop single-game tickets, click here, and for a full list of the program’s nonconference promotional lineup, click here.
Darren Headrick will have the Kentucky-Wright State radio call for UK Sports Network, marking his ninth straight season as the voice of the Wildcats. His call will be carried on 630 AM WLAP in Lexington and on 790 AM WKRD in Louisville. It also will be carried on SiriusXM channel 106 and 190, and on the SiriusXM App.
Big Blue Nation also can watch the game on SEC Network+, with Noah Frary and program alumna Bria Goss on the call.
UK Athletics recommends nine parking locations for fans attending games this season, including two parking locations with shuttle transportation (The Cornerstone Garage, High Street Lot). The shuttle at those parking locations starts 90 minutes prior to tip-off and breaks at the end of the first quarter. It resumes at the start of the third quarter and runs one hour postgame.
The Wildcats enter the game 11-1 overall and 5-0 at home. They’re coming off their fifth true road game of the nonconference season last Sunday, also going 5-0 in those contests. It is the first time they have gone undefeated in nonconference true road games since 1998-99 (min. five nonconference true road games).
Kentucky defeated Belmont, 77-69, in Nashville, Tennessee, on Sunday. Amelia Hassett led the team in scoring for the second time this season on 19 points. She made a season-high five 3s in the game. She added 10 rebounds for her first double-double of the season.
Four players scored in double digits, as the team moved to 9-0 this season when at least four players score at least 10 points.
All five starters are averaging double digits right now, while the team is ninth in the nation in point production from the starting five (62.0).
The Wildcats rank high in the nation in numerous categories entering the holiday game, including first in blocks per game (8.2), fourth in scoring defense (50.7), fifth in FG% defense (31.5), 10th in assists (1.66), 11th in turnovers per game (11.2), 13th in scoring margin (29.7) and 19th in the nation in assists-turnover ratio (18.6).
Kentucky leads Wright State, 1-0, in the all-time series. Its lone triumph came in the NCAA Tournament First Round hosted at home on March 22, 2014 (106-60). Kentucky reached the Sweet 16 that season, ultimately losing to No. 5 Baylor.
Kentucky’s third head coach in program history – the late, great Terry Hall – was later Wright State’s head coach for seven seasons until she succumbed to cancer in 1997. Hall coached the Cats to seven straight winning seasons, starting with a 25-6 record in 1980-81. In her second season, she guided the Cats to the 1982 Southeastern Conference Tournament. Hall left coaching for the business sector after 1986-87, but three years later she accepted the head coaching job at Wright State.
For more information on the Kentucky women’s basketball team, visit UKathletics.com or follow @KentuckyWBB on X, Instagram, and Facebook.
