Kentucky Sports Radio
[Moderated by Matt Jones, Drew Franklin and Tyler Thompson]
[Moderated by Matt Jones, Drew Franklin and Tyler Thompson]
While your University of Kentucky Wildcats men’s basketball team is struggling through 18 games, UK’s women’s basketball team is putting together a historic season just down the road in Memorial Coliseum. I attended a game last week and I encourage you to do the same. It’s quite the show.
Here are 10 reasons why…
1. A’dia Mathies.
Mathies is the reigning SEC Player of the Year and she was picked to repeat by opposing coaches and media in the preseason. She leads Kentucky in scoring with 15.4 points per game on the year and she’s reached double-figure scoring in 17 of the last 19 games, including 10 in a row. The Louisville native is averaging a league-best 20 points through six conference games and she’s shooting 55% from beyond the arc during that stretch, also best in the SEC.
She’s one of the best to ever suit up for Kentucky and she won’t be around much longer. Go see her.
2. #40MINUTES
That is the motto for Matthew Mitchell’s squad this season. They play hard from start to finish for 40 minutes of effort, hustle, and tenacity. Every game is fast-paced, high-energy basketball.
3. It’s cheaper than going to a movie.
A five-dollar bill will get you in the building for a general admission seat in Memorial Coliseum. That’s cheaper than whatever you’d pay to take the family to see a terrible movie on a Sunday afternoon.
Don’t go see terrible movies on a Sunday afternoon.
4. You’ll probably leave with a souvenir.
Want a UK t-shirt? You’ll have plenty of opportunities to snag one out of the air during timeouts. One thing I’ve noticed at UK Hoops games is they love giving out swag to the fans in the crowd.
Now I’m not guaranteeing you’ll leave with something, but I like your odds if you put forth the effort. Show some passion and school spirit; yell at the shirt-tosser like your life depends on it; and box out, maintain position, and catch with two hands. Eyes on the shirt at all times, people.
5. Player interaction
Stick around afterwards to snag a signature from one or two of the players during the autograph session following the game.
And if Kentucky wins, and they usually do, the entire team sings the Kentucky fight song to the crowd.
6. Matthew Mitchell’s introduction
Matthew Mitchell is introduced to Montgomery Gentry’s “My Town” before every game. You know what other head basketball coaches come out to “My Town?”
None of them.
Point, Mitchell.
7. The other team always looks terrible.
No matter what team Kentucky is playing, the Cats always find a way to make them look sloppy. UK leads the nation in forced turnovers (498) and turnover margin (10.47). The rest of the country isn’t even close.
The press is really fun to watch, too.
8. They blow teams out.
Well, I mean, the teams that don’t have Brittney Griner.
Kentucky is winning its games by an average of 30.6 points this season. Only Florida and Texas A&M have kept it within double-figures.
9. Over 5,000 other people are doing it.
UK Hoops draws a big crowd for every game. Where else can you hang out with 5,000 of your closest Big Blue Nation friends in one place?
10. They’re a Final Four team.
Write it down. Sign it. Stamp it. Book your hotel in New Orleans.
Again.
[powered by WordPress.]
Bill Keightley Report : Never to be forgotten.
9 queries. 0.313 seconds
January 23rd, 2013 at 5:38 pm
also, layups.
January 23rd, 2013 at 5:44 pm
Great post. These girls are fun to watch and play defense better than any men’s team in Div. 1. If the men would play with their desire and hustle, they wouldn’t have 6 losses.
January 23rd, 2013 at 5:52 pm
boobs?
January 23rd, 2013 at 5:57 pm
If they called them the Ladykats I would go. I still don’t know what a UK hoop is.
January 23rd, 2013 at 6:03 pm
@jerry c
UK Hoop is for earrings. Earrings then refering to woman.
January 23rd, 2013 at 6:04 pm
DeNesha Stallworth deserves a mention as well.
She averages 14.1 PTS, 6.2 RBS, 1.5 BLKS, 1.1 STLS… a bit TO prone…
She has one thing she could teach our men’s front court, and thats how to shoot free throws. The transfer Center from Cal shoots 82% from the stripe, leading the team with made FTs.
January 23rd, 2013 at 6:21 pm
Reason # 11.
You love good basketball. THIS is good basketball!
I got to see them demolish UCSB out here.
They are every good thing the men are not.
That means they listen to the coach, run the right plays on offense, play in your face full court defense with a passion and very skillfully, they can shoot, they don’t panic and they flat out intimidate their opponents.
Best of all? They are clearly a T E A M!
They’re darn near purr-fect.
Rock on, women, rock on!
January 23rd, 2013 at 6:23 pm
I’ll second what Drew said. I have become a big fan of the women’s game. You get to see great players like Mathies, Stallworth, Griner, etc. for four years, not just one or two. The players really get what college basketball is all about, and they definitely play for the name on the front of the jersey. I was in the Yum! Center for the Louisville game and it was a great game, a one-point win for us. And, like Drew said, you can’t beat the price.
January 23rd, 2013 at 6:24 pm
ditto on what #7 said. Lady Cats play basketball.
January 23rd, 2013 at 6:25 pm
#3. nope, fraid not!
January 23rd, 2013 at 6:30 pm
3 and 10 – Who cares?
January 23rd, 2013 at 6:32 pm
You only have 4 more chances to see our ladies play at home this season:
Sun 1-27 @ 3:00pm
Sun 2-3 @ 2:00pm
Thur 2-14 @ 7:00pm (what better way to spend Valentines Day, you can take your sweetheart out to dinner Fri.)
Sun 3-3 @ 3:30pm
This team starts 4 McDonald’s All-Americans. The other starter is A’dia Mathis, reigning SEC Player of the Year. If you like to watch good basketball you will enjoy watching this team play. You can always count on 100% effort from all of the players the entire game. They are unselfish and don’t care who gets the score. They pass the ball around to the open player. They have taken a page from the Anthony Davis/Nerlens Noel playbook and have been blocking a lot of shots this year. The inside tandem of DeNesha Stallworth and Samarie Walker has proven to be very formidable. A’dia and Jenny have been really stroking the three and their defense is stellar. Bria Goss is a nightmare for any offensive player to face. The players coming in off the bench continue the hard-nosed defense and are all making contributions.
Time is running out to see this special team. Don’t miss out.
January 23rd, 2013 at 6:33 pm
Lady Cats have nice Hair.
January 23rd, 2013 at 6:39 pm
#40MINS
January 23rd, 2013 at 7:03 pm
AWESOME! Great team. They are so much fun to watch. Keep after it LADIES. Good luck
January 23rd, 2013 at 8:27 pm
I love this team! Love their intensity & drive for #40Minutes…
Yes, I’m talking to you Auburn!
January 23rd, 2013 at 11:06 pm
I love watching this team! The game against Auburn was facinating to watch. The only thing I don’t like is that the media seems to think of them as an afterthought. The Lexington media seems to report their games as “Oh, by the way, the Hoops team won tonight.” I realize that UK men’s basketball is King, especially after winning #8, but I wish the women’s team received more respect. I appreciate KSR giving them some love.