LEXINGTON, Ky. – The No. 13 University of Kentucky women’s basketball team will officially get the 2021-22 season underway Tuesday as it plays host to Presbyterian College at 7 p.m. ET inside Memorial Coliseum. The game starts a difficult stretch for the Wildcats, who will play three games in the first six days of the season.
Single-game tickets are $10 (all ages) in reversed seating areas, while general admission tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for children (ages 6-18) and seniors (age 65+). Children aged 5 and under do not require a ticket in general admission areas. Kentucky women’s basketball 2021-22 season tickets are on sale at UKathletics.com/tickets. For more on mobile tickets, visit UKathletics.com/mobiletickets.
Regardless of vaccination status, all guests will be required to wear a mask while visiting Memorial Coliseum. Fans will not be required to show proof of vaccination to enter, but face coverings – covering the nose and mouth – are required for all fans as they watch the game from their seat and enter, exit, and move around Memorial Coliseum. Children 2 and younger will not be required to wear a mask. If spectators are unable to wear masks, they are encouraged not to attend in person for the sake of their health and the health of others.
Doors to Memorial Coliseum will open one hour prior to tip. All bags must adhere to the UK Athletics Clear Bag policy. All bags and items will be searched. To avoid additional touch points, fans are strongly encouraged to not bring unnecessary bags to Memorial Coliseum. More on UK Athletics’ Clear Bag policy can be found online, here.
Parking for games is available starting three hours prior to tip off in a majority of surface lots surrounding Memorial Coliseum, including the High Street Lot, East Maxwell Lot, Joe Craft Center Lot, College View Lot, Alumni Center Lot and Career Center Lot. The Cornerstone Garage and Parking Structure 2 open two hours prior to tip. The Gatton Student Center Lot is pay-to-park while all other parking options are free. The JCC Lot is primarily used limited mobility/handicap parking. No shuttles are being offered from any lot this season.
Thursday’s game will be broadcast live on SEC Network+ with Jeff Piecoro and Christi Thomas on the call. 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.
Kentucky is coming off a strong performance in its lone exhibition game of the season last week when it defeated Lee University 95-51 inside Memorial Coliseum. Redshirt junior Dre’una Edwards led Kentucky in the game, scoring 21 points with eight rebounds, four steals and two assists. Senior guard Rhyne Howard scored 17 points with seven rebounds, four steals and four assists. Redshirt junior Olivia Owens started and performed well, going 8-of-11 form the field for 16 points and seven rebounds. Overall, UK shot 51.3 percent from the field and had a +13 rebounding margin.
UK is 39-8 all-time in season openers, including winning 12 in a row. Last season, UK defeated Murry State 68-60 in its season opener at Memorial Coliseum. The Wildcats are 43-4 all-time in home openers and have won 12 in a row as well.
Tuesday is the first ever meeting between Kentucky and Presbyterian in women’s basketball. Kentucky is 15-1 all-time against teams that currently makeup the Big South Conference. UK is 1-0 vs. Charleston Southern, 1-0 vs. Gardner-Webb, 3-0 vs. High Point, 2-1 vs. Liberty, 1-0 vs. Longwood, 2-0 vs. Radford, 3-0 vs. UNC Ashville and 2-0 vs. Winthrop. Kentucky did not play a Big South team last season. UK’s last game vs. a Big South opponent was Dec. 11 vs. Winthrop at Rupp Arena. UK won that game 91-36.
Presbyterian is entering is fourth season under head coach Alaura Sharp, who became the eighth head coach in program history in April 2018. Last season, Sharp led the Blue Hose to their best record in a season since 2015-16 as they finished 11-10, including a 10-8 mark in the Big South. Presbyterian led the Big South and finished 44th nationally in rebounding margin, and finished second in the conference and 44th nationally in scoring defense. PC also set a new DI era record for scoring average, scoring 62.2 points per game.
Junior forward Tionna Carter returns after leading the team in scoring at 12.7 points per game last season. Carter also had 6.6 rebounds per game and hit 51.8 percent from the field. Fifth-year forward Jade Compton also returns after averaging 12.1 points and 8.0 rebounds per game last season. Sophomore guard Maleia Bracone hit a team-best 23 3s last year and also returns, while senior guard Trinity Johnson had a team best 92 assists last year and will be pack to run the point against for the Blue Hose.
For more information on the Kentucky women’s basketball team, visit UKathletics.com or follow @KentuckyWBB on Twitter, Instagram, Facebookand TikTok.