< PreviousKENTUCKY BASKETBALL 10 @KentuckyMBB T he University of Kentucky men’s basket- ball team extended its national record for most NCAA Tournament appearances to 61 on Sunday, as the Wildcats were selected as the No. 3seed in the South Region. The Wildcats will play Oakland, the region’s No. 14 seed, on Thursday in Pittsburgh, Pennsyl- vania. Game time and television assignment are to be determined. This is the fourth time that Kentucky has earned a 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament and the first time since 1999. That year, Ken- tucky played New Mexico State in the first round, Kansas in the second round and Mi- ami (Ohio) in the Sweet 16 before losing to Michigan State in the Elite Eight in St. Louis, Missouri. As a 3 seed, Kentucky has a sec- ond-round, Sweet 16 and Elite Eight finish. Kentucky enters the NCAA Tournament with a 23-9 record, marking the 14th time in head coach John Calipari’s 15 seasons that the Wildcats have won 20 or more games. UK finished tied for second in the South- eastern Conference with a 13-5 mark, earn- ing a 2 seed in the 2024 SEC Tournament. Kentucky is coming off a quarterfinal loss to Texas A&M on Friday. In addition to most appearances, Ken- tucky holds the NCAA Tournament records for most games played (184), while it ranks second all-time in NCAA Tournament wins with 130. The Cats own a 130-54 all-time record in NCAA action, with their .707 winning percentage ranking fourth-best in NCAA history (min. 20 games). Looking ahead to Thursday’s matchup, Kentucky is 49-11 in NCAA Tournament openers and has won 26 of its last 28 open- ing-round games. Kentucky is set to play Oakland for the first time in program history although UK is 12-0 all-time vs. teams from the Horizon League. Oakland is coming off a 23-11 reg- ular season, defeating the Nos. 6, 7 and 8 seeds to earn the Horizon League Tourna- ment Championship. Oakland is averaging 76.4 points per game this season, allowing opponents to score 72.9 points per game. The Grizzlies are shooting 45 percent from the field and 35 percent from 3 on the season. Oak- land has a +1.6 rebounding margin and +0.1 turnover margin. Senior forward Ter- ry Townsend leads the team this season averaging 16.8 points per game with 7.8 rebounds per game and a team-best 106 assists. Graduate student guard Blake Lamp- man is earning 13.2 points per game and 30 steals, while fellow graduate student guard Jack Gohlke has hit 121 3-pointers this sea- son and is earning 12.2 points per game. If Kentucky defeats Oakland, the Wild- cats will face the winner of No. 6 seed Texas Tech (23-10) and No. 11 seed NC State (22- 14) on Saturday. UK leads the all-time se- ries with Texas Tech 5-0 with the two teams yet to meet in NCAA Tournament action. UK and NC State have met four times, with UK holding a 3-1 record in those game. The Wildcats and Wolfpack have also never met in NCAA Tournament play. Ticket information Public tickets for the first and second round games in Pittsburgh can be pur- chased by visiting NCAA.com/MBBTickets. Fans will find complete ticket information for all NCAA sites, including information on the NCAA Ticket Exchange (NCAA.com/Ex- change), the official secondary marketplace for authentic NCAA Tournament tickets. Kentucky receives a limited allotment of tickets from the NCAA. Eligible K Fund members who requested first and second round tickets in advance of Selection Sun- day will receive a confirmation email on Monday evening, March 18 from the UK Ticket Office with information on whether or not their request has been fulfilled. More information about requesting tick- ets for all possible rounds of the NCAA Tournament is available here and will be updated as Kentucky advances. Those who are eligible to request NCAA tickets will be notified by email from the UK Ticket Office. Student tickets are not available for first and second round games, and information for later rounds will be available at UKStu- dentTix.com as Kentucky advances. From Press RowIt's Easy to SAVE with the Kroger App Score big with weekly sales and digital coupons Official Grocery Partner of UK AthleticsThank You to Our CORNERSTONE PARTNERSNEKENTUCKY BASKETBALL 14 @KentuckyMBB P ittsburgh is a city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. It is the second-most populous city in Pennsylvania after Phila- delphia and the 68th-most populous city in the U.S., with a population of 302,971 as of the 2020 census. The city anchors the Pitts- burgh metropolitan area of Western Pennsyl- vania. Its population of 2.457 million is the largest in both the Ohio Valley and Appala- chia, the second-largest in Pennsylvania, the 7th-largest in the Mid-Atlantic region and the 26th-largest in the U.S. Pittsburgh is the prin- cipal city of the greater Pittsburgh–Weirton– Steubenville combined statistical area which includes parts of Ohio and West Virginia. Pittsburgh is located in southwest Penn- sylvania at the confluence of the Allegheny River and the Monongahela River, which combine to form the Ohio River. It devel- oped as a vital link of the Atlantic coast and Midwest, as the mineral-rich Allegheny Mountains led to the region being contested by the French and British Empires, Virgin- ians, Whiskey Rebels, and Civil War raiders. Pittsburgh is known both as "the Steel City" for its dominant role in the history of the U.S. steel industry, and as the "City of Bridges" for its 446 bridges. For part of the 20th century, Pittsburgh was behind only New York City and Chicago in corporate headquarters em- ployment; it had the most U.S. stockhold- ers per capita. Starting in the post-war era, Pittsburgh leaders began to strategically di- vest in manufacturing and invest instead in education, science, technology, health care, and art. This led to deindustrialization in the 1970s and 1980s, resulting in massive layoffs among blue-collar workers as steel and oth- er heavy industries declined, and thousands of downtown white-collar workers also los- ing jobs when several Pittsburgh-based com- panies moved out. After 1990, Pittsburgh has focused its energies on the healthcare, education, and technology industries. Pittsburgh is home to large medical providers, including the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Allegheny Health Network, and 68 col- leges and universities, including research and development leaders Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh. [14] The area has served as the federal agen- cy headquarters for cyber defense, software engineering, robotics, energy research, and the nuclear navy. In the private sector, Pitts- burgh-based PNC is the nation's fifth-largest bank, and the city is home to eight Fortune 500 companies and seven of the largest 300 U.S. law firms. RAND Corporation, BNY Mellon, Nova, FedEx, Bayer, and the Na- tional Institute for Occupational Safety and Health have regional headquarters and offic- es that helped Pittsburgh become the sixth- best area for U.S. job growth. Furthermore, the region is a hub for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and energy ex- traction. Pittsburgh's rich industrial history left the area with renowned cultural institutions, in- cluding the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium, Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, the National Aviary, and a diverse cultural district. The city's major league professional sports teams include the Pittsburgh Steelers, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Pittsburgh Pirates. Pittsburgh is additionally where Jehovah's Witnesses traces its earliest origins, and was the host of the 2009 G20 Pittsburgh summit. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Things to do in PittsburghKENTUCKY BASKETBALL 16 @KentuckyMBB PPG Paints Arena A s a leading entertainment venue, PPG Paints Arena is the region- al epicenter for athletic events, concerts, and family shows in Western Pennsylvania. Hosting more than 150 events per year, PPG Paints Arena’s state-of-the-art design attracts national collegiate tour- naments, including the first and second rounds of the 2012, 2015, 2018, and 2022 NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship, and is home to your five-time Stanley Cup Champion, Pittsburgh Penguins. It is a downtown destination where lasting memories will be made and new traditions will take shape! PPG Paints Arena serves as an important catalyst in the revitalization of the community, help- ing to strengthen the vital Centre Avenue link between Uptown and the city’s business district. In addition, PPG Paints Arena offers guests efficient inbound and outbound access to area highways and interstates. Surrounding phased-in development creates a dynamic atmosphere for all to en- joy. For those planning an extended stay in the Arena District, the Cambria Hotel Pittsburgh at PPG Paints Arena is a welcomed retreat. Whether cheering for a favorite team, attending a concert, host- ing a national conference or planning a wedding reception, guests of PPG Paints Arena can appreciate the service, versatility, conve- nience, and unforgettable experience the facility was designed to deliver!“THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY WILL ALWAYS HOLD A SPECIAL PLACE IN MY HEART. I AM HAPPY TO GIVE BACK TO THE INSTITUTION THAT HELPED BUILD ME AND HONORED TO BE PART OF THE WILDCAT FAMILY.” -Jack “Goose” Givens ’78, UK Alumni Association Active Member FAMILY IS EVERYTHING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION, TRADITION RUNS DEEP. AND Family watches out for family. When you become a Life or Active Member of the UK Alumni Association, you help open doors of opportunity to transform the lives of students, serve alumni and improve the Commonwealth of Kentucky and beyond! www.ukalumni.net/membership Jack “Goose” Givens was part of the Kentucky Men’s Basketball 1978 championship team and went on to be a first-round pick in the ’78 NBA draft. He has a long history of giving back to UK and was awarded the UK Alumni Association Alumni Service Award in 2023. 18 @KentuckyMBBNext >