The University of Kentucky women’s basketball program is gearing up to host an exciting matchup against Mississippi State on Thursday, February 1st. The game will take place at 7 p.m. ET at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. This highly anticipated showdown will also mark the program’s annual Equality & Inclusion Night, a special event that aims to promote unity and equality. During halftime, spectators will be treated to a thrilling step-show performance by the UK National Pan-Hellenic Council.
Fans who can’t make it to the arena can catch all the action on SEC Network+, with Jeff Piecoro and Christi Thomas providing the commentary. Alternatively, they can listen to the play-by-play on UK Sports Network and/or 630 AM WLAP, with Darren Headrick, the Voice of the Wildcats, on the mic.
The Wildcats, with a record of 9-12 this season, have had a mixed bag of results. They hold a 2-5 record in Southeastern Conference games. However, their performance on home court has been much stronger, with a 9-3 record. The team has been averaging 66 points per game and 33.9 rebounds per game. Leading the charge in both scoring and rebounding is senior forward Ajae Petty, hailing from Baltimore, Maryland. She has been putting up impressive numbers, averaging 14.4 points per game and 10.9 rebounds per game. Senior guard Maddie Scherr is also a key contributor, averaging 13.8 points per game and 4.7 rebounds per game. Scherr leads the team in steals with 28, closely followed by Petty with 26 in the 2023-24 season.
In terms of their head-to-head history, Kentucky holds the upper hand against Mississippi State, leading the all-time series 31-23. Kentucky has also been strong at home, winning 14 out of 23 games played in Lexington.
On the other side of the court, Mississippi State enters the matchup with a solid 17-5 record this season. They have a 4-3 record in the SEC and have been performing well on the road, winning 5 out of 7 games. Mississippi State ranks highly in various statistical categories within the league, including third in field goals made (28.7) and assists per game (16.6), fourth in points per game (76.9), and fifth in rebounds per game (42.6).
Big Blue Nation, the passionate fanbase of the University of Kentucky, is encouraged to stay updated with the nonconference schedule promotions and game themes. For the upcoming Kentucky-Mississippi State game, the focus will be on equality and inclusion. The “Equality & Inclusion Night” aims to spark conversations about these important topics on a local, regional, and national level. The program hopes that by utilizing the women’s basketball platform, they can unite the community and create an inclusive game atmosphere and experience.
For those planning to attend the game, parking will be available in the High Street lots starting three hours before tip-off. All fans attending the women’s basketball game can enjoy free parking.
To stay up-to-date with the Kentucky women’s basketball team, fans can visit UKathletics.com or follow @KentuckyWBB on X, Instagram, and Facebook.
