Children who wear a sports jersey of any kind get in free as Wildcats host Gators at 1 p.m. ET
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MATTHEW MITCHELL PRE-FLORIDA NEWS CONFERENCE: WATCH
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The No. 13 University of Kentucky women’s basketball team will celebrate National Girls and Women in Sports Day on Sunday, Feb. 2 when they play host to Florida at 1 p.m. ET inside historic Memorial Coliseum. All current female student-athletes along with Kentucky women’s basketball alumnae in attendance will be honored during the game.
Children can get into the game free of charge by wearing a sports jersey of any kind Sunday while parents can purchase general admission tickets for just $8. Ticket stubs from Friday’s Kentucky gymnastics meet vs. Florida can also be used for free general admission seating Sunday. Young fans are encouraged to take advantage of the Kid Zone pregame with games, poster making stations, coloring stations and more. Senior forward Ogechi Anyagaligbo is scheduled to sign autographs on the concourse following the game.
The game vs. Florida will be broadcast on SEC Network with Brenda VanLengen and Andraya Carter on the call. The action can also be seen through WatchESPN on computers, smartphones or tablets. Darren Headrick will have the call on the UK Sports Network on 630AM WLAP in Lexington. Live stats and free live audio will be available online at UKathletics.com.
Spectator parking is located in all E-lots surrounding Memorial Coliseum and are off control 3 hours prior to tip. Additionally, the South Limestone Garage (PS#5) and the Rose Street Garage (PS#2) are available 2 hours prior to tip. The Bill Gatton Student Center is available as a pay-to-park option. Availability is based on the Gatton Student Center Event Schedule.
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 issues disabled hangtag in the E lot North of the Craft Center. These spaces are available on a first-come, first-served basis until full.
Shuttles are available beginning 2 hours prior to tip off and pick up and drop off near the South Limestone Garage (PS#5) and the High Street Lot. Shuttles will start back up after halftime to return guests to their parking areas, the shuttle will discontinue service 1-hour post-game.
Playing without its leading scorer for the first time this year, Kentucky (17-3, 6-2 Southeastern Conference) put together an impressive overall team performance in its 62-47 win at Missouri on Thursday. UK shot 45.5 percent from the field – its second-best field-goal percentage in a road game this season – while forcing Missouri into 20 turnovers and scoring 21 points off those miscues. Senior guard Amanda Paschal put together a career-high 18 points with five rebounds and three assists going 8-of-14 from the field. Junior guard Chasity Patterson scored 12 points – including 10 in the second quarter – while sophomore Blair Green scored 11 points and led UK in rebounding for the first time in her career with seven boards. UK’s defense was tough in the first half, keeping Missouri without a field goal for over 12 minutes of play.
Sophomore guard Rhyne Howard, who leads UK with 23.2 points per game and 6.3 rebounds per game, is out until mid-February with a fractured finger in her left hand. Senior guard Sabrina Haines is averaging 10.9 points per game with 4.3 rebounds per game and is 40-for-96 from long range this season, while Patterson is averaging 9.4 points per game and has 17 steals in nine games played. Senior guard Jaida Roper is averaging 7.0 points per game and leads UK in assists with 65 while Paschal is averaging 6.0 points per game and is second in assists with 64. Junior posts KeKe McKinney and Tatyana Wyatt are averaging 6.8 points and 5.1 points, respectively.
Freshman guard Lavender Briggs is averaging a team-best 14.0 points per game with 6.1 rebounds per game and a team-high 27 made 3s. Redshirt junior guard Kiara Smith is averaging 12.8 points per game with a team-high 68 assists while redshirt senior forward Zada Williams is averaging 10.2 points per game and leads the team with 7.0 rebounds per game. As a team, the Gators are averaging 62.5 points per game, hitting 40.4 percent from the field and 28.8 percent from 3.
Kentucky and Florida will meet for the 58th time in program history Sunday with UK leading the all-time series 32-25. The Wildcats hold a 16-10 mark in games played in Lexington.
The Wildcats have won five straight games in the series and won three straight at home. The Gators’ last win in Lexington was a 83-73 decision on Jan. 5, 2014. Matthew Mitchell is 14-4 against the Gators as a head coach at Kentucky.
The two teams have already met once this season with UK winning 65-45 on Jan. 12 in Gainesville. Patterson scored a career-high 20 points, including 13 in the first half when the Wildcats were struggling to score hitting two big 3s late in the second quarter to push UK into a 28-23 halftime lead it would not relinquish. Haines had 12 points hitting two 3s while Howard led UK with 22 – scoring 18 points in the second half. The UK defense was superb in the game, limiting Florida to a then-season-low 45 points. UK went just 22-of-70 from the field in the game and 6-of-24 from 3, but forced 25 turnovers and had 31 points off those miscues to secure the win.