College basketball on television: SEC Network has Kentucky-Louisville women’s game

Arch-rival Louisville comes to Rupp Arena on Thursday night to take on the 8th-ranked Kentucky women’s basketball team and the SEC Network will be there to televise. Brenda VanLengen will handle play-by-play with Carolyn Peck doing the color. Steffi Sorensen is the sideline reporter.

Unlike Wednesday night when ESPN2 telecast the UK-Eastern Kentucky men's game, the SEC Network is expected to actually be at Rupp. Wednesday, broadcast crew Bob Picozzi and Kara Lawson did the game from a remote studio in Charlotte, something the World Wide Leader started last season.

As for Thursday night’s game, Kentucky brings a 7-0 record to Rupp for the 7:00 tilt. The Cats have not played since rallying from a 41-37 halftime deficit to win 84-65 at Northern Kentucky last Wednesday night. UK is led by guard Janee Thompson. Forward Evelyn Akhator has three double-doubles on the season.

Louisville is 3-4 but has won its last two starts, 85-78 at Michigan State and 75-42 at home against Valparaiso on Saturday. The Cards were the NCAA Tournament runner-up in 2008-09 and 2012-13. They reached the Elite Eight in 2013-14 before being eliminated in the Sweet 16 last season.

Kentucky has won four straight in the series, including a 77-68 win last season at the KFC Yum Center. The Cats were down 13 at the half before rallying to outscore U of L by 22 points in the second half. This will be the first time the UK-U of L women’s game has been played at Rupp Arena since 2007.

The game will also be on the UK Radio Network with Neil Price handling play-by-play duties.

It’s a light schedule over on the men’s side with the highlight being No. 4-ranked Iowa State entertaining Iowa on ESPN2. The Cyclones are off to a 7-0 start under new coach Steve Prohm, who took over ISU after Fred Hoiberg left for the NBA’s Chicago Bulls. Iowa lost to Dayton 82-77 and Notre Dame 68-62, but has won its last four games.

Here is the list of college basketball games on television for Thursday:

Thursday, Dec. 10

▪ 7:00 - Louisville at Kentucky women (SEC)

▪ 7:30 - Iowa at Iowa State (ESPN2)

▪ 8:00 - Troy at Seton Hall (Fox Sports 1)