Kentucky to Face Minnesota in Rupp Arena Showdown

The University of Kentucky women’s basketball program is gearing up for an exciting match against Minnesota on Wednesday, December 6th, at 7 p.m. ET. This game will mark their second appearance at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center this season. Fans can catch the action on SEC Network+, with Jeff Piecoro and former head coach Matthew Mitchell providing commentary. For those unable to watch, the Voice of the Wildcats Darren Headrick will be broadcasting the play-by-play on UK Sports Network and 630 AM WLAP.

Kentucky’s upcoming matchup against Minnesota is part of a series of challenging games against Power 5 opponents. This will be their fifth game against Power 5 teams in their last five outings, with six Power 5 opponents scheduled in a seven-game stretch. Before facing Minnesota, they will take on the ranked Louisville team at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville on December 10th.

Despite the tough competition, Kentucky has been on a two-game winning streak, having defeated Boston College 83-81 on November 30th and Tennessee Tech 73-67 on December 3rd. During these games, they have averaged 78.0 points per game on 48.3 percent shooting from the field. They have also made 13 three-pointers, shooting at an impressive 46.4 percent accuracy. Additionally, their performances in assists and blocks have been noteworthy in these games.

Senior forward Ajae Petty has been a key contributor to Kentucky’s recent success and was recognized as the Southeastern Conference Player of the Week. In their game against Tennessee Tech, Petty achieved a career-high 33 points, 15 rebounds, and three blocks. She became the fourth player in program history to record a 30-15 double-double in points and rebounds, a feat not seen in over a decade. Petty is currently leading the SEC in field-goal percentage at 60.9.

Other players who had notable performances in the win over Tennessee Tech include Saniah Tyler, who made a career-high four three-pointers, Emma King, who scored a career-high 14 points and tied her career-high with seven rebounds, and Cassidy Rowe, who tallied a career-high six assists, one turnover, and three charges.

Kentucky and Minnesota have previously faced each other twice, with the series currently tied at 1-1. In their last matchup in December 2020, Kentucky emerged victorious with an 80-74 win on the road. Petty had a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds in that game.

This upcoming game will be the first time the two teams will meet in Lexington.

Big Blue Nation is encouraged to check out the promotions and game themes for the nonconference schedule. For the Kentucky-Minnesota game, the first 500 fans will receive a neon belt bag. The game will also feature an 80s Night theme, celebrating the best moments of Kentucky women’s basketball from the 1980s.

Parking for fans attending the women’s basketball game is available in the High Street lots three hours prior to tip-off, with free parking provided.

For more information on the Kentucky women’s basketball team, fans can visit UKathletics.com or follow @KentuckyWBB on X, Instagram, and Facebook.