What an outstanding year our UK Ladie’s Basketball team is having. I am SO proud of the players, coaches, and everyone involved in turning this program around. They’re 
currently ranked 17th in the country, but that’s sure to rise. Last night, the UK women’s team beat 19th ranked Georgia 64-48 and extended its home winning streak to 16 games. A’dia Mathis and Amani Franklin each scored 15 points.
Last night’s win avenged a 61-60 overtime loss to Georgia in January and stretched the Wildcats’ SEC win streak to eight. It was Georgia’s first loss to a ranked opponent this season.
It has been so frustrating – I look every night, hoping to find the ladies on television. Something should be done about it, really. How cool would it be if there were an ESPN channel ALL for women’s sports?! Nothing but women’s softball, basketball, tennis, golf, pool, figure skating, gymnastics, and so on. Then those of us who are dying to follow teams like UK women’s basketball (or UConn’s amazing season…. well, every season is amazing for the lady Huskies – it’s funny ESPN keeps telling us about their wins and I’m always like, “Show us their wins!“).
If we can’t have an ESPN channel for female athletes to call home, couldn’t one of the many ESPN channels show more ladies hoops? Honestly, you should see some of the men’s teams they show each night – teams I never even heard of! Don’t get me wrong, I love men’s college basketball to distraction and I don’t miss a UK game (or U of L when I can find them on) – I’d just like to see the girls, too, you know.
Irregardless of how unfair and frustrating it is, I am super proud of this team and its coaches, head coach Matthew Mitchell and his staff: Kyra Elzy, Matt Insell, and Shalon Pillow. With all of the (VERY understandable!) excitement about John Calipari, John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, Joker Phillips, the cheerleading squad (sheer domination) and our outstanding basketball and football teams – the ladies and their remarkable success is being overshadowed. These girls don’t belong in the shadows! I just wanted to go on record as saying I’m extremely proud of all that they have done, are doing, and will continue to do.
In other UK womens’ basketball news, signee Jennifer O’Neill (a 5-6 guard from Saint Michael Academy and Bronx, N.Y.) has been selected to play in the super prestigious 2010 McDonald’s All-American High School Basketball Game on March 31, 2010 in the Value City Arena in Columbus, Ohio! This game, of course, features the top 24 high school players around the country – representing teams from the East and West. And, get this, it will be aired on ESPNU at 5:30 p.m. EST. Thank you, ESPN! Jennifer O’Neill will play for the East.
O’Neill, a consensus national top-30 player, becomes Kentucky’s first incoming freshman to earn McDonald’s All-America honors. Another sign of a program that has been turned around but good.
The UK women’s basketball play their next game at Vanderbilt Sunday night.
The women’s SEC tournament begins in early March – I hope they have the largest turnout of any team there. If you can go – GO and wear UK blue from your head to your toes! Give this team the support and recognition they deserve. They might just shock the world.
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