LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky women’s basketball team will look to earn its fourth win of the season Sunday and help God’s Pantry Food Bank with its annual Thanks for Giving Game, where fans can donate a canned food item at the entrance of Memorial Coliseum to receive free admission. Kentucky and High Point will tip at 2 p.m. ET.
The game will be streamed on SEC Network+ with Christi Thomas and Jeff Piecoro 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 98.5 FM in Lexington and 1080 AM in Louisville. Live stats and free live audio will be available online at UKathletics.com.
Fans can receive free admission to Sunday’s game by bringing a canned food item to donate to God’s Pantry Food Bank. Fans who have already purchased tickets for the game can still donate canned food items to God’s Pantry Food Bank upon entry Sunday. Last year, the Thanks for Giving Game led to hundreds of canned food donations to God’s Pantry Food Bank.
Sophomore forward KeKe McKinney is scheduled to sign autographs following the game on the main concourse near the Lexington Avenue entrance. Other game day experiences include the massive new LED video board and LED ribbon board featuring a 5.2 mm display with a 4800-hertz refresh rate and additional snack options from Kroger’s popular Simple Truth brand, including peanut butter filled pretzels, chocolate covered almonds and gummy worms will be available at concession stands. Young fans are encouraged to take advantage of the Kid Zone pregame with games, poster making stations, coloring stations and more.
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. With the Gatton Student Center lot and expansion of North Craft lot there are 238 additional parking spots for spectators this season around Memorial Coliseum. The Bill Gatton Student Center is available as a pay-to-park option. Availability is based on the Gatton Student Center Event Schedule.
The Lexington Parking Authority Transit Center Parking Garage, located between High Street and Vine Street is available for parking after 5 p.m. during the week and all day on the weekends. Additionally, a free shuttle service will pick up in the High Street lot beginning 2 hours prior to tip. UK Athletics Event Staff will be at the Transit Center Garage Entrance to assist with directing patrons to the correct shuttle pick-up location.
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 near the Transit Center Parking Garage and 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.
Doors to Memorial Coliseum open 1.5 hours before tip and UK Athletics encourages women’s basketball fans to arrive early to ease traffic and parking congestion around the Coliseum. For more information on parking around Memorial Coliseum and other game-day questions visit UKathletics.com.
Kentucky (3-0) is coming off an impressive win against Virginia (0-2) at Rupp Arena on Thursday night, 63-51. UK shot just 33.3 percent from the field and had to earn the win with its defense which forced UVA into 32 turnovers with the Wildcats scoring 32 points off those miscues. Conversely, UK turned the ball over just 12 times and had a 13-4 advantage in steals. Senior guard Taylor Murray scored 12 points to lead UK and become the 34th player in program history with 1,000 career points. Sophomore guard Jaida Roper had 11 points and three assists while freshman guard Rhyne Howard had 11 points and seven rebounds.
Howard leads Kentucky in scoring this season averaging 18.3 points per game and 5.7 rebounds per game with nine assists and a team-best six blocks. Murray is second on the team with 13.0 points per game and has a team-best 15 assists while fellow senior guard Maci Morris is averaging 10.7 points per game and had hit six 3s.
High Point is in its seventh season under head coach DeUnna Hendrix, who has won over 100 games while with the Panthers. Last season, HPU went 17-14 overall including a 10-8 mark in the Big South. The Panthers played two games last season against Power 5 schools, falling at Duke, 77-50, and at Virginia Tech, 86-63. High Point returns five letterwinners and four players who started 30 or more games last season and were picked to finish second in the Big South in the preseason coaches poll.
So far this season, High Point is 2-0 with home wins against NC Central and Mars Hill. The Panthers started their season with a 80-69 win over NC Central before a 86-36 thumping of Mars Hill on Wednesday. HPU enters Sunday shooting 46.3 percent from the field, 42.9 percent from 3 and have a +7.5 turnover margin. Senior guard Emma Bockrath has led the Panthers at 21.5 points per game in the early going hitting 62.1 percent from the field with 7.5 rebounds per game. Freshman guard Skyler Curran and senior guard Lindsey Edwards are averaging 12.0 and 12.5 points per game, respectively, while junior guard Camryn Brown is averaging 11.5 points per game with six 3s.
Kentucky leads the all-time series in games played against High Point, 2-0. The first meeting came Jan. 6, 2004 when the Wildcats earned a 83-45 win in Memorial Coliseum. The last meeting was Nov. 17, 2012 when UK defeated the Panthers 80-46 in Memorial Coliseum.
For more information on the Kentucky women’s basketball team, visit UKathletics.comor follow @KentuckyWBB on Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat, or Kentucky Women’s Basketball on Facebook.
