Wildcats look for their first-ever win in Thompson-Boling Arena
*Photo by Regina Rickert
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The No. 18 Kentucky women’s basketball team travels to eighth-ranked Tennessee for ESPN’s new Sunday Package looking for its first win in Knoxville since 1985 and first-ever win in Thompson-Boling Arena. The rivalry game will tip off at 1 p.m. ET with Carolyn Peck and Pam Ward calling the action. The game also will be broadcast live on ESPN3 and the UK IMG Sports Radio Network with Neil Price. Fans can follow Twitter updates on @UKHoopCats and use hashtag #UKvsTENN to talk about the game.
The Play 4Kay game will pit two of the top offensive teams in the Southeastern Conference as the Wildcats and Lady Vols rank in the top five in scoring offense, scoring margin and field goal percentage.
The Wildcats, who rank seventh nationally in scoring offense with 84.5 points per game, are coming off an 108-78 rout of Ole Miss on Thursday at home, while the Lady Vols, who average 80.3 points per game, enjoyed a bye week. UK (18-6, 6-5 SEC) currently ranks tied for sixth with Vanderbilt in the league standings, while Tennessee (20-4, 9-2 SEC) is tied for second with Texas A&M.
“We obviously have a great opportunity ahead of us Sunday afternoon against a quality opponent,” UK Hoops Coach Matthew Mitchell said. “We will be very excited to prepare for victory.”
Sunday will mark the 59th meeting between the border rivals. The Lady Vols lead the all-time series 49-9, including a 21-2 advantage in Knoxville. The Wildcats are looking to snap a 16-game losing skid in Knoxville as their last win came on Jan. 23, 1985 in the Stokely Athletics Center. UK has never won in Thompson-Boling Arena. However, UK has won two of the last three meetings in the series but both wins came in Lexington.
Four Wildcats are averaging in double digits this season, led by junior point guard Jennifer O’Neill (Bronx,N.Y.). She is putting up 13.0 points per game, while senior forwards DeNesha Stallworth (Richmond, Calif.) and Samarie Walker (West Carrollton, Ohio) follow with 11.4 and 10.3 ppg, respectively. Junior guard Bria Goss (Indianapolis) adds 10.2 points per game.
Stallworth, who posted her second straight double-double vs. Ole Miss, has looked back to her old self in the last three games. The 6-foot-3 forward and All-America candidate was forced to miss five games after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on her left knee on Dec. 18. Prior to her surgery, she was averaging 14.2 points and 7.0 rebounds per game and shooting .560 percent (47-84) from the field. In the 10 games since her return, she is averaging 8.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, while shooting .439 percent from the floor (36-of-82). The last three games she has averaged a double-double with 13.7 points and 10.7 rebounds per game, while shooting 50 percent from the field (16-32), including 2-of-2 from the 3-point line.
Walker joins Stallworth as one of the league’s leading frontcourt players as she ranks second overall in SEC rebounding with 9.0 rebounds per game. She has recorded 19 career double-doubles, including eight this season which ranks third in the SEC.
Goss ranks seventh nationally and leads the SEC in free-throw shooting percentage, hitting an impressive 92.5 percent clip (74-of-80). She made 27 consecutive free throws, spanning 10 games, before missing one vs. Ole Miss on Thursday. That streak ties the school record for consecutive free-throws made.
Tennessee leads the SEC in rebounding margin (+11.7), assists (17.4) and defensive rebounds (29.2). The Lady Vols also rank second in the league in scoring offense (80.3), scoring margin (+17.7), field goal percentage (.468) and 3-point percentage (.380).
Senior guard Meighan Simmons is one of three Lady Vols averaging double figures with a team-leading 15.2 points per game. Junior center Isabelle Harrison ranks second on the team with 13.5 points, while leading the team and ranking third in the SEC in rebounding at 8.7 boards per contest. Harrison’s 11 double-doubles are second in the SEC. Junior point guard Ariel Massengale averages 12.5 points and a team-high 5.8 assists per game.
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