UK Hoops starts exhibition season against Eckerd College
UK guard Bria Goss dribbles the ball during the first half of the UK vs. Tennessee at Memorial Coliseum in Lexington, Ky., on Sunday, March 3, 2013. Photo by Emily Wuetcher
November 1, 2013
By Tyler Spanyer | UK Hoops beat writer
After about a month of practice, UK Hoops will take the floor for their first game action against Eckerd College at 1 p.m. on Sunday in an exhibition game at Memorial Coliseum.
Senior forward and 2012 preseason All-SEC selection DeNesha Stallworth is the leading returning scorer for the Cats. Stallworth has been named to the Wooden Award, Wade Award and Lowe’s Senior Class Award preseason watch lists.
Eckerd College is located in St. Petersburg, Fla., and they are members of the Sunshine State Conference in Division II. This will be the first ever meeting between the Cats and the Tritons in UK Hoops history.
“I think there’s value in getting into a game situation and having the officials and the crowd that are hard to simulate in practice or a scrimmage,” UK Hoops head coach Matthew Mitchell said. “That’s valuable just from game day activity and just going through that routine of checking in and out of a ballgame, late-game situations or whatever it may be.”
The Tritons finished last season 14-12, losing in the quarterfinals of the Sunshine State Conference tournament last season.
Senior forward Liga Vente is one of three returning seniors on this year’s team and is the leading returning scorer at 9.9 points per game. The Cats return 10 players from last year’s record-breaking team, including four starters.
Junior guard Bria Goss said the team is trying to make program history again after their second-consecutive Elite Eight and first 30-win season in program history.
“We want to win a national championship,” Goss said, “Our goal is to not only get to the Final Four, but to win it all.”
