University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Asheville Heads to Lexington as a No. 14 Seed to Face Kentucky
03.14.2016 | Women's Basketball
LEXINGTON, KY.- The UNC Asheville Women's Basketball team earned a No. 14 seed and punched their ticket to Lexington where they will face the No. three seeded University of Kentucky on Saturday, March 19 at 4:00 p.m. in Memorial Coliseum. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN2.
The Bulldogs bring an overall record of 26-6, a regular season conference championship as well as the Big South Conference tournament title into postseason play. Asheville is led by the Big South Conference Coach of the Year, Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick, and carries the Big South Conference Player of the Year, and Big South Conference tournament MVP, Chatori Major on their roster as they move into the first round of the NCAA tournament.
“Obviously we were extremely excited to be involved in the selection show process and enter the prestigious field of 64 teams. I was very pleased with our 14 seed and also the location of our game being in close proximity to Asheville so fans who are unable to make the men's tournament can still be a part of the dance,” said head coach Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick.
The No. 12 ranked Wildcats carry an overall record of 23-7 and have punched their ticket to the 2016 NCAA tournament as an at-large team. Kentucky advanced through the SEC tournament, collecting wins over LSU (79-71), and Florida (92-69) before falling to the SEC Conference Champion, University of South Carolina in the semifinals.
“Kentucky is extremely good. I spent five years as an assistant at Florida and have been watching Coach Mitchell build that program into a national powerhouse. They have continued that success since I left the SEC four years ago and will be an incredibly tough opponent on Saturday. I have watched them a couple of times this season and they were very impressive in the conference tournament. We look forward to Saturday and we know that it will be an exciting environment because Kentucky fans support their women's basketball program very well,” Kirkpatrick said.
The Bulldogs and the Wildcats have met twice in program history, both times in 1995. In both meetings, the Wildcats came away with the win, delivering a 70-55 victory in Asheville and 98-76 in Lexington.
The Wildcats will host the first and second rounds for the third consecutive year, with the second round to be played on Sunday, March 20. The winner of the Saturday matchup will face the winner of the other first-round matchup in Lexington featuring sixth-seeded Oklahoma against 11th-seeded Purdue at 1:30 p.m. on ESPN2.
