[Moderated by Matt Jones, Drew Franklin and Tyler Thompson]


Congratulations to UK Hoops, who was just named the #2 seed in the Bridgeport Region in the Women’s NCAA Tournament. Matthew Mitchell’s squad will play #15 Navy in Queens, New York on Sunday at 12:05 p.m. ET on ESPNU.
They also managed to avoid Baylor’s bracket, drawing UConn as their #1 seed instead. This is the second straight year they’ve been seeded second in the NCAA Tournament. (Say that ten times fast.)
We’ll have the full bracket and reaction from Coach Mitchell’s house shortly.

Photo by @UKphotogs
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Bill Keightley Report : Never to be forgotten.
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March 18th, 2013 at 7:37 pm
Best face in the picture is the little one up front.
March 18th, 2013 at 7:38 pm
Just guessing, but Mr. TT Hates on KSR.
Mrs. TT, You Work Hard.
Thanks.
March 18th, 2013 at 7:39 pm
1., Is that a FAN face or What!
March 18th, 2013 at 7:42 pm
That is some house coach has, if that pic is from there.
March 18th, 2013 at 7:42 pm
Great picture!
March 18th, 2013 at 7:45 pm
email this pic to every member on the mens team with the headline:
This IS what you could have done.
March 18th, 2013 at 7:46 pm
Little one up front:
I am a UK fan right down to my little blue socks.
March 18th, 2013 at 7:48 pm
Why is UK as a 2 playing in Queens and Louisville as a 5 playing at home? Tenn a 2 playing at home, Duke a 2 playing at home. Don’t get it.
March 18th, 2013 at 7:48 pm
Is that Coaches the kid?
March 18th, 2013 at 7:49 pm
#9, yes.
March 18th, 2013 at 7:49 pm
the coach’s kid?
March 18th, 2013 at 7:49 pm
Mom is holding her and they are expecting again, I believe in October.
March 18th, 2013 at 7:52 pm
I would have loved to have seen our players faces when they found out we drew Robert Morris!!
March 18th, 2013 at 7:52 pm
Wouldn’t it be great if the Lady Kats went to the Final Four in New Orleans as well?
March 18th, 2013 at 7:54 pm
I like our draw! It takes a lot of great play and a lot of luck.
March 18th, 2013 at 7:55 pm
I like how the women’s tournament regions are loosely based on the areas where the actual games are played.
March 18th, 2013 at 8:05 pm
Congrats, ladies! Has there ever been a time the women went to the NCAA and the guys didn’t?
March 18th, 2013 at 8:12 pm
Seems a little unfair that Kentucky might have to play St. Johns in Queens. Kind of like when the baseball team did not get to host their group of games in this last year’s tournament even though they were the highest ranked team.
March 18th, 2013 at 8:12 pm
Sign the kid now for etrade commericals!
March 18th, 2013 at 8:17 pm
Where is the best places to stay in Atlanta for the SEC tourny next year?
March 18th, 2013 at 8:19 pm
That kid is going to be a basketball nut. Looks like he might already be.
March 18th, 2013 at 8:27 pm
#21, he is a she, and that look on her face is priceless in the moment. At her young age, she seems to understand the excitement going on around her. Hopefully this excitement will carry the Cats to New Orleans and a shot at the title this year. Go Big Blue!!!!
March 18th, 2013 at 8:40 pm
Alright folks here is how it works…pay attention.
Schools apply to host the first/second rounds of the NCAA Womens Basketball tournament a year or two before the actual tournament. UK has not successfully applied to host these games to this point.
The committee then lays out the teams in order from 1 to 68 and begins placement on the bracket. After all of the teams are on the bracket they look at the host sites and if the home team for that site is in the tournament then that quartile of the bracket (i.e. 1 v. 16 and 8 vs. 9 and so on) plays their games at that site. If two teams both with home floors serving as host sites are in the same quartile, the committee allows for a “procedural move” to move teams up on seed or down one seed. There are also other procedural considerations such as maintaining the integrity of the bracket and avoiding conference rematches before the elite.
In the case of UT, Tennessee was going to play in Knoxville regardless of their seed. Since UT was a 2 seed that would have meant seeding UK as a 7 or 10 which would have messed with bracket integrity. Not only that but since both are SEC teams they couldn’t both land in that quarter of the bracket.
Louisville is a more interesting case since the schools are from different conferences. Like before, if U of L was in the tournament, they were playing in Louisville regardless of the seed. Since Louisville was a 5 that would have meant seeding UK as a 4, 12, or 13 or since UK was a 2 seeding Louisville as a 7, 10, or 15 seed. In either instance, it would have significantly altered the integrity of the bracket. It is also likely that the committee would have avoided a rematch even if either of those two scenarios had worked out.
Bottom line, if UK wants to host they have to put together a successful bid.
March 18th, 2013 at 9:08 pm
23. Why in the world haven’t they yet?
Final Four ladies! Do it for the little one!
March 18th, 2013 at 10:11 pm
They are in the process of applying for a bid to host
March 18th, 2013 at 11:15 pm
The little one has a name, Saylor Rose Mitchell. She is the 19-month-old daughter of coach Mitchell and his wife Jenna. One of the best parts of going to the women’s games is watching her run to her daddy’s arms after the games are finished. She is absolutely adorable. That picture is priceless.