2 S P 0 R T S 1
I
Keeping Score t - ,
Once again the UK Wildcats are expected to turn Mid- ‘  
I night Madness into March Madness. 2003 National »,   ~ , A  
  Coach of the Year Tubby Smith is pursuing that goal in ‘ 1%*; ’
I the l0lst year of Kentucky basketball with a deep bench q   I j
and strong leadership from 12 returning players who » s ",_ _   I
were part of an historic 32-4 season in 2003-04 that ended ,  . · 'Y I
just short of the Final Four and a chance at the school’s ` Q I .  
eighth national championship plus a perfect 19-0 sweep g   1‘lr,  
of Southeastern Conference opponents and 26—game win ; __, ts  
streak.   ` ` I ii
Talented guards Cliff Hawkins and Gerald Fitch are r}.  
arguably the strongest backcourt in the nation. Fitch, in   .  
his third year as a starter, is UK’s top returning scorer   , ' \  
and needs only 79 points to join Kentucky’s elite 1,000-   ite;. W  _,    
point club as its 50th member. Kaleene Azubuike and   H "   _ _ _  
Brandon stnciaen must continue their vainabre cnnrnbn- Head basketball ¤¤¤¤t¤¤S Tubby Smith and It/l¤¤l<·¤ ¤¤lVl¤SS é
tions at guard. Antwain Barbour brings the most experi-  
ence to the floor as a combo guard and forward. man team in her rookie season, she is expected to pro-  
The Cats also can go seven deep at the forward posi- vide leadership and build on her five career double- I 
tion, starting with Erik Daniels and Chuck Hayes. Last doubles. Helm had started in 50 of 53 games played,  
season Hayes, at 6-6, became the shortest leading including 41 straight going into this season.  
rebounder at Kentucky since 6-5 Thad Jaracz averaged As always the schedule is brutal. Kentucky will play  
8.3 rebounds per game in 1966 for the fabled "Rupp’s host to nationally-ranked Georgia on Jan. 11, defend- I 
j Runts." Bernard Cote is expected to build on his fresh- ing SEC Toumament champs LSU on Jan. 18, national ` 
. man experience, and newcomers Bobby Perry and champion contender Tennessee Jan. 29, defending 5
l Sheray Thomas, both highly recruited, will be learning WNIT champions Auburn on Feb. 5, Mississippi State =
and earning playing time. on Feb. 15 and Alabama on Feb. 22. Six Wildcat seniors p
The biggest question mark for the Wildcats entering will be honored on Senior Day prior to the Alabama  
I the 2004 season is the center position. Coach Smith has game. The Cats will conclude their home schedule on  
the option of going small with a three—guard lineup or big, Thursday, Feb. 26 vs. South Carolina. The women will i
very big. with a pair of 7-footers, Shagari Alleyne and play two games in Rupp Arena facing North Carolina,  
Lukasz Obrzut, who made their debut this fall.They are Nov. 11, and Louisville, Dec. 3.  
the first 7-footers to play for the Wildcats since Sam If DeMoss lives up to half of the expectations sur- i
Bowie in the mid-’80s. rounding the future of women’s basketball at UK, you  
j The Wildcats very rugged-as—usual December sched- will want to reserve your place in the crowd and get  
l ule includes the Wooden Classic against UCLA, which is your season tickets right away. Season tickets are $20. 0
now coached by former Pittsburgh coach Ben Howland; Tickets for all regular season games are $5.00 for j
Michigan State in Detroit`s Ford Field for "The adults and $2.00 for seniors and youth, 18 and under.  
Basketbowl" where a new basketball attendance record Tickets for the Tennessee game are $5.00 for lower  
of 75.000 fans is expected; and an end-of—month closing level reserved box seats and $5.00 for adults and $2.00 I
i against Indiana at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis and for youth in the upper level general admission seats. _
j arehrival Louisville in Rupp Arena. UK also hosts North Tickets are available online at www.ukahthletics.com
  (`arolina and Louisville. or by calling the ticket office at 1-800-928-2287, local _ 
  _ number 257-1818, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4
i Desire, Demand, DeMoss nm.
I Excitement is swirling around the fresh start new ' '
women`s basketball coach Mickie DeMoss is bringing to      
the program this season. The former assistant coach for In October the National Association of Basketball -
18 years to successful Tennessee coach Pat Summit, Coaches devised a plan aimed at reversing the image
DeMoss has assembled an accomplished and dedicated of immoral or illegal behavior in the sport. Created
staff that has attracted some high caliber recruits for the during a summit by the 300-plus coaches in attendance,
future. the plan includes a requirement for all Division I head
Senior Sese Helm will be squarely in the bull's eye as coaches to devise codes of ethics for themselves and
the Cats` go-to player in middle. Named second team All- their players and a requirement for all Division I assis-
SEC last season after being named to the All—SEC Fresh- tant coaches to attend a series of five professional-de-
46 Klit~JTUCKY ALUMNI