After earning back-to-back wins for the first time since early December, the University of Kentucky women’s basketball team looks to extend its winning ways Thursday as it plays host to Auburn at 7 p.m. ET inside Memorial Coliseum.
The game will be broadcast live on the SEC Network+ with Jeff Piecoro and Christi Thomas on the call. The action can also be seen through WatchESPN on computers, smartphones or tablets. Darren Headrick, in his first year with the program, will be calling the game on the UK Sports Radio Network. Fans in Lexington can hear Headrick’s call on 630AM WLAP. Live stats and free audio will be available online at ukathletics.com.
Senior guard Makenzie Cann is scheduled to sign autographs following the game on the main concourse near the Lexington Avenue entrance. Young fans are encouraged to take advantage of the Kid Zone pregame with games, poster making stations, coloring stations and more.
Hot dogs are just $1 Thursday at Memorial Coliseum, while single-game tickets are $9 (all ages) in reserved seating areas and general admission tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for children (ages 6-18) and seniors (age 65+). Children ages five and under do not require a ticket in general admission areas.
Kentucky (11-11, 3-5 Southeastern Conference) is coming off two impressive performances in its last two games, defeating Alabama, 79-54, before a win at Arkansas on Monday, 76-65. The Wildcats have been hot from the floor its last 10 quarters, shooting 51.7 percent from the field in their last 100 minutes of basketball. Freshman post Dorie Harrison scored 15 points against Alabama and 16 against Arkansas to earn SEC Freshman of the Week honors. Fellow freshman post KeKe McKinney has scored 12 points in two of her last three games, including a career-high 12 rebounds at Arkansas. In her last five games, guard Taylor Murray is averaging 18.2 points per game with 24 assists and 16 steals.
Overall, junior guard Maci Morris leads Kentucky by averaging 15.4 points per game and has hit a season-best 44 3-pointers this season. Morris is just four points away from becoming the 33rd player in school history with 1,000 career points. Murray is averaging 11.5 points per game and 4.6 rebounds per game while leading the team with 89 assists and 50 steals. Freshman Tatyana Wyatt and seniors Makenzie Cann and Alyssa Rice are each averaging seven points or more this season.
Auburn leads the all-time series in games played against Kentucky, 26-21, including a 10-9 mark in games played in Lexington, Ky. The Wildcats have had recent success in the series, winning nine of the last 10 meetings including six straight at home. Auburn has not won a game against Kentucky in Lexington since a 71-57 victory in Rupp Arena on Jan. 19, 2006. Matthew Mitchell is 11-3 against Auburn as the head coach of the Wildcats.
Entering Thursday’s contest, Auburn owns an 11-9 overall record, including a 2-6 record in SEC play. Auburn is coming off a 69-60 victory over in-state foe Alabama on Jan. 28. The win snapped a six-game losing streak for the Tigers. Its only additional victory in SEC play came against Florida on Dec. 31.
In the win over Alabama, junior guard Janiah McKay led all scorers with 18 points, while freshman Unique Thompson had her six double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds.
McKay leads Auburn in scoring and assists this season, averaging 16.6 points and 4.5 assists per game. Thompson is averaging a near double-double in her rookie campaign with 11.3 points and 9.6 rebounds per contest. Sophomore guard Daisa Alexander rounds out the double-digit scorers, posting 14.3 points per game.
Kentucky and Auburn met just once last season with the Wildcats earning a 64-60 come-from-behind win at Auburn Arena. After the start of the game was delayed 30 minutes due to tornado warnings, UK bounced out to a lead before Auburn made a rally in the third quarter to take a seven-point lead. UK rallied back and the game was back-and-forth in the fourth quarter before a Makayla Epps and-one gave UK a 61-58 lead it would not relinquish.
Morris paced Kentucky with 18 points, nine rebounds and hit four 3s, while Epps scored 17 points with seven rebounds and four assists. Murray had 14 points and five assists as the Wildcats shot 45.8 percent from the field. Auburn was paced by 22 points from Brandy Montgomery and 16 from Katie Frerking. The Tigers had 23 points off 19 UK turnovers and had a 10-2 edge in fast-break points.
For more information on the Kentucky women’s basketball team, visit UKathletics.com or follow @KentuckyWBB on Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat, or Kentucky Women’s Basketball on Facebook.
Parking
– Spectator parking is located in all of the E-lots surrounding Memorial Coliseum, all lots are off control three hours prior to tip. Additionally, the South Limestone Garage (PS#5) and the Rose Street Garage (PS#2) are available two hours prior to tip. See the shuttle map and route information diagram at this link for all available women’s basketball spectator parking options.
– The Lexington Parking Authority Transit Center Parking Garage, located between High Street and Vine Street is available for parking after 5 p.m. during the week and all day on the weekends. Additionally, a free shuttle service will pick up by the Transit Center bus stop, near the corner of High Street and Martin Luther King beginning two hours prior to tip. UK Athletics Event Staff will be at the Transit Center Garage Entrance to assist with directing patrons to the correct shuttle pick-up location.
– Parking is prohibited in any R (Residential) lots. Vehicles parking in R 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.
– Disabled spectator parking is available with a valid, state issued disabled hang tag in the E-Lot (Employee Lot) North of the Craft Center. These spaces are available on a first-come, first-served basis until full.
Transit Center Parking Garage
– UK women’s basketball fans can avoid traffic and congestion around Memorial Coliseum and park for FREE at the Transit Center Garage – available after 5 p.m. on weekdays and all day for weekend games.
– The Transit Center Parking Garage is accessible from Vine Street of High Street.
– Push the green flashing button upon entry, take the yellow token and store it in a safe place. Park in the garage and find the UK Athletics event staff member at the entrance of the garage near Lexington Avenue for a free parking token to use after the game when you exit the garage. Staff will remain on site until 20 minutes after tip.
– Please do not lose your token. If you lose your token, you will be charged an $8 fee for a lost token fee. If you lose your token, visit the pay on foot station located in the seventh floor elevator lobby of the garage and choose “lost token.” You will be charged $8 and given a new token that can be used to exit the garage.
Shuttles
– Shuttles are available beginning two hours prior to tip and pick up and drop off near the South Limestone Garage (Parking Structure #5) (blue route) and near the Transit Center Parking Garage and High Street Lot (green route).
– Shuttles will start back up after halftime to return guests to their parking areas, the shuttle will discontinue service one hour postgame.
– A shuttle map with route information is available here.
Game Day Information
– Doors to Memorial Coliseum open 1.5 hours prior to tip.
– 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 ukathleticsgameday.com.
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For more information contact:
Evan Crane
