Wildcats attempt to progress in WNIT

Lexington, Ky. – Having defeated Chattanooga in the first round on Thursday, the Kentucky women’s basketball team now has its sights set on Wisconsin. The Wildcats travel to Madison, Wis., Sunday, March 22 for the second round of the Women’s National Invitation Tournament with tip-off in the Kohl Center slated for 2 p.m. EDT.

The game will be carried live on the Big Blue Sports Network (radio) with Neil Price. The game also will be video streamed live on uwbadgers.com.

“We are very happy to win last night and it was a tough game for us,” UK Hoops Coach Matthew Mitchell said.”Chattanooga was a very tough opponent and we were fortunate to win. We are happy that we are advancing in the postseason because any time you can win in the postseason it is special.

“It will be a tough game for us against Wisconsin,” Mitchell said. “They are a hard-nosed, very physical defensive team that doesn’t allow very many points. Every point that you score against them is earned. I think that it will be a physical game on Sunday and our team will have to be ready to play.”

Kentucky (16-15, 5-9 SEC) faces Wisconsin for just the second time in school history but it’s the second meeting between the squads in last three years. The teams also met in the 2007 WNIT, falling in the third round to the Badgers, 67-61.

Wisconsin (18-14, 6-12 Big Ten) received a first-round bye after finishing seventh in the Big Ten. The Badgers are playing in their fifth overall and third consecutive WNIT with a 13-3 record in the postseason event.

They are led by sophomore Alyssa Karel, an honorable mention All-Big Ten selection, who averages a team-high 13.1 points to go along with 3.5 rebounds per game. It’s a balanced scoring attack for Wisconsin as five other Badgers average between 9.2 and 6.7 points per game. Sophomore Tara Steinbauer leads the team in rebounding with a 5.0 rpg average, and as a team Wisconsin pulls down 33.0 rebounds per game. The Badgers rank 47th nationally and fourth in the Big 10 in scoring defense, holding opponents to 56.9 points per game.

Kentucky, which defeated Chattanooga in overtime (81-76) in the first round, is led in scoring and rebounding by the interior duo of sophomore forward Victoria Dunlap (Nashville, Tenn.) and senior center Eleia Roddy (Columbus, Ohio). Dunlap, who posted a career-high 24 points vs. the Lady Mocs on Thursday, is tops on the team in scoring (13.0 ppg), rebounding (9.0 rpg) steals (56) and blocks (35) while Roddy averages 12.2 points and 8.1 rebounds per game. She leads the SEC in double-doubles with 11 while Dunlap is second with 10. Also averaging in double-figure points is Franklin with 11.6 ppg. She has posted double digits in eight of the last 10 games, including her second season double-double vs. Chattanooga with 18 points and 11 rebounds.

The appearance marks Kentucky's sixth all-time in the WNIT and the fourth in the last five years. The Wildcats, who received an at-large bid to the WNIT, have a 13-4 record all-time in the postseason event and claimed the title in 1990.

Single-game general admission tickets are $8 for adults and $4 for high school age and younger. For more information, go online at uwbadgers.com or contact the UW Ticket Office, 608-262-1440 or 1-800-GO-BADGERS.

Should UK advance it will face the winner of St. Bonaventure and West Virginia with a date and time to be announced.