PIKEVILLE, Ky. -- There will be plenty going on Thursday night when the nationally-ranked University of Pikeville men's and women's basketball teams host Cumberland (Tenn.) at the East Ky. Expo Center.
Of course there's the basketball, with the women tipping off at 6 p.m. ET and the men to follow at 8. But it's also Play4Kay Cancer Awareness Night with the women wearing pink uniforms for a pink out, Wal-Mart appreciation night and the introduction of UPIKE's 2017 Mountain Laurel Festival candidates with the crowning to follow.
All of the action is being streamed live by Pike TV, while the men's game can also be heard on East Ky. Broadcasting's Z1075 FM either locally or online. Live stats of both games will be available on DakStats.
MEN'S GAME NOTES
On the basketball side, the 14th-ranked UPIKE men are meeting Cumberland for the 13th time since the 2000-01 season with the Bears holding a 10-2 record in those games. Since the Phoenix rejoined the Mid-South Conference in 2012-13, Pikeville has won nine straight in the series.
The most lopsided decision came in 2013 when UPIKE won 105-56 at home. In the most recent outing, UPIKE won 84-59 in Lebanon last month behind three players with 17 points. The Phoenix are coming off an 81-56 loss at Lindsey Wilson, while UPIKE won 71-65 at Campbellsville on Saturday.
WOMEN"S GAME NOTES
This is the 17th meeting between the UPIKE and Cumberland women since 1998 with each team winning eight games in the series. The Bears have won six of the last eight, including a 64-61 win in the most recent contest on Jan. 14 in Lebanon.
Since the Phoenix rejoined the MSC, UPIKE holds a 6-4 record against them. Cumberland is coming off a 66-58 loss at then-No. 4 Lindsey Wilson and UPIKE returns after a 12-point loss at then-No. 8 Campbellsville.
PLAY4KAY
The Kay Yow Cancer Fund was officially founded on Dec., 3, 2007, from the vision of the organization's namesake, Kay Yow, former North Carolina State head women's basketball coach.
Kay Yow was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1987, and passed away on January 24, 2009, after facing her third bout with the disease. Before her death, she joined forces with the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) and The V Foundation for Cancer Research to form the Kay Yow Cancer Fund, a 501 (c)(3) charitable organization committed to being a part of finding an answer in the fight against women's cancers through raising money for scientific research, assisting the underserved and unifying people for a common cause.
Due to Play4Kay's unique partnership with The V Foundation, they utilize their Scientific Advisory Committee to ensure donations support only the cancer research projects with the most potential. Thus, grant recipients funded by the Kay Yow Cancer Fund have remarkable standing within the scientific community.
If interested in making a donation, visit kayyow.com.
KENTUCKY MOUNTAIN LAUREL FESTIVAL
The Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival is one of Kentucky's oldest, finding its start in 1931 when Mrs. Annie Walker Burns established the festival as a way to honor her famous ancestor, Dr. Thomas Walker, a pioneer explorer.
The festival features many events including a Queen's Coronation. The city of Pineville, Ky., opens its homes to these accomplished Queen Candidates, selected by and representing their Kentucky College or University in the annual pageant. During the Coronation, held at an exquisite outdoor amphitheater near the close of the weekend, each Queen curtseys to the Governor of Kentucky- and in turn he crowns the winning Queen.
Last year, UPIKE's own, Connor Rose Cook, of Louisville, Ky., was crowned as Queen. Cook is the second University of Pikeville student in history to earn the honor. On Thursday night we will introduce UPIKE's 2017 candidates with a crowning to take place during halftime of the men's game.
-UPIKE-
