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CATS MEET OKLAHOMA IN ELITE EIGHT TONIGHT

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CATS MEET OKLAHOMA IN ELITE EIGHT TONIGHT Empty CATS MEET OKLAHOMA IN ELITE EIGHT TONIGHT

Post  Carolina Kat Tue Mar 30, 2010 12:12 pm

Wildcats Meet Oklahoma in NCAA Elite Eight
Tuesday Marks First Meeting Between Elite Programs

Gameday Information

Date & Time Sunday, Mar. 28 (9:07 p.m ET)
Coverage Tourney Central
TV: ESPN
Radio: BBSN
Live Video Via ESPN360
Location Sprint Center (Kansas City, Mo.)

March 29, 2010

KANSAS CITY, Mo.
– A trip to the program's first Final Four is on the line when the fourth-seeded Kentucky women's basketball team takes on third-seeded Oklahoma Tuesday, March 30 at 9:07 EDT in the NCAA Tournament Regional Finals in the Sprint Center. The game will be televised live on ESPNHD, ESPN360.com and broadcast on the Big Blue Sports Radio Network with Neil Price. A live Gametracker and a live blog will also be available on UKathletics.com.

This marks Kentucky's (28-7) first NCAA Elite Eight since 1982 and first since the NCAA expanded the field to 64 teams during the 1993-94 season. UK lost to eventual national champion Louisiana Tech, 82-60, in the '82 regional final on the Lady Techsters' home floor.

The Wildcats earned a spot in the Elite Eight after upsetting No. 1 seed and fourth-ranked Nebraska, 76-67, on Sunday night. Paced by 21 points, including 17 in the second half from Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Year A'dia Mathies (Louisville, Ky.), the Wildcats broke open a 43-34 halftime lead to take a commanding 19-point (61-42) advantage with 10:46 left in the game. That lead gave the Cats enough cushion to withstand Nebraska's late run. SEC Player of the Year Victoria and State Farm All-America finalist Victoria Dunlap (Nashville, Tenn.) added 18 points and a team-high seven rebounds while sophomore sharp-shooter Keyla Snowden (Lexington, Ky.) nailed three three-pointers and added 13 points.

The win was UK's first over a top-10 ranked team since defeating No. 1 Tennessee in 2006 in Lexington. It also was UK's first win over a top-10 foe away from Lexington since upsetting No. 8 Western Kentucky on Dec. 11, 1991, in Bowling Green, Ky.

Kentucky is 5-7 against teams from the Big 12 conference but has never met Oklahoma. The 12 th -ranked Sooners are 26-10 overall and finished 11-5 in league play. OU has advanced by defeating South Dakota State (68-57) and UALR (60-44) in the first and second rounds and No. 3-seeded Notre Dame (77-72) in overtime in the Sweet 16.

“We approach this game with an unbelievable respect for our opponent, just probably can't say enough good things about their program,” UK Coach Matthew Mitchell said. “I think they are as equipped to handle what we do as anybody that we've played up to this point… We're going to have to commit more than ever to our defensive fundamentals to be able to stay in a stance and guard the kids on the wings and some of their isolation plays. It's going to be really, really tough, and they are an unbelievable opponent to be getting ready for right now.”

Junior guard Danielle Robinson leads five players averaging double-digits for head coach Sherri Coale and the Sooners. Robinson averages 16.7 points per game while senior guard Nyeshia Stevenson follows with 14.1 ppg. Sophomore guard Whitney Hand, senior forward Amanda Thompson and senior center Abi Olajuwon round out the double-figure scorers with 13.4 ppg, 13.0 ppg and 10.8 ppg, respectively.

Dunlap anchors an impressive Wildcat team that ranks second nationally in turnover margin. The Cats have forced a school-record 802 turnovers this season, averaging 22.3 forced-turnovers per game.

Dunalp averages a team-high 17.7 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.2 steals and 2.0 blocks per game. She is the only SEC player to rank among the league's top three in scoring and rebounding. She also ranks among the nation's leaders in steals (14th -3.2) and with three swipes vs. Michigan State in the second round she tied the school's single-season record of 104 with Leslie Nichols and Rita Adams. Dunlap also has dominated the low post, setting a single-season school record of 66 blocks. She is averaging 18.0 points and 7.7rebounds in three NCAA Tournament games.

Mathies, a 5-9 guard, also has been a key catalyst for UK's success this season as she follows Dunlap in nearly every statistical category. Overall, the rookie averages 13.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game. In three NCAA Tournament games she averages a team-high 20.3 points and 4.7 rebounds. Mathies owns the UK freshman steals record with 89 and ranks in the top three of seven other rookie categories.

Cat Scratches: Elite Eight is 'big, big moment' for UK Hoops
Amani Franklin hopped on Twitter and Facebook after Kentucky's win over top-seeded Nebraska on Sunday night. She looked to the top of the screen, saw the updated notifications icon and expected to see a few messages of congratulations.

She never could have expected to see 50 posts.

"Everybody is just showing us a lot of support from back home," Franklin said. "It's just great to hear people who usually don't watch us are now watching us since the guys are out. Everybody is kind of watching us, so that's great for Kentucky women's basketball."

The funny thing is Franklin's account wasn't the most popular.

"Keyla (Snowden), she had 99 messages after the game," Franklin said. "So I came in second place."

Carolina Kat
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