LEXINGTON – Tickets for Kentucky’s men’s basketball games versus South Carolina (Feb. 5), Auburn (Feb. 9), and Vanderbilt (Feb. 20) went on sale Thursday. Tickets are available online at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling Ticketmaster at 800.745.3000.

Any tickets remaining after Thursday evening’s sale will also be available to purchase through the UK Ticket Office at 800-928-2287 or the Rupp Arena Box Office at 859-233-3535 starting Friday. Tickets made available are from the unsold student ticket allotment. All tickets are in the upper level and are priced at $42 each.

ESPN’s hit Saturday morning show, College Gameday Covered by State Farm, returns to Rupp Arena on Saturday, Feb. 23. Tickets to attend College Gameday will be available starting Wednesday, February 13th at 6 pm, online through Ticketmaster and at Ticketmaster outlets. GameDay tickets are free of charge, and orders will have a minimal service fee attached. There is a limit of eight tickets per household. UK students may pick up a GameDay ticket during the already scheduled student basketball lottery on February 11 or at the Joe Craft Center Ticket office during normal business hours on February 12 or 13. The Wildcats will host the Missouri Tigers later that day at 9:00 p.m.

Tickets to ESPN College Gameday Covered by State Farm are not valid for admission to the UK vs. Missouri basketball game, but to the College Gameday event itself. Doors will open at 8:00 am and the event begins at 9 a.m.

More details on College Gameday will be released at a later date.

Mashburn named Kentucky’s 2013 SEC Basketball Legend: Former Kentucky All-America selection Jamal Mashburn has been tabbed as Kentucky’s Southeastern Conference Basketball Legend and will be honored at this year’s SEC Tournament being held in Nashville, Tenn.

A two-time All-America pick during his three years at Kentucky, Mashburn was the cornerstone of UK’s return to the elite of college basketball. He was selected consensus first-team All-America in the 1993 season when he helped lead the Wildcats to the Final Four where he was named to the All-Final Four Team.

A three-time All-SEC selection, Mashburn finished his career with 1,843 points, fourth most in school history at the time. Voted the 1993 SEC Player of the Year, Mashburn was selected fourth overall in the 1993 NBA Draft by the Dallas Mavericks.

Each SEC Basketball Legend will be recognized at halftime of his institution’s first game at the tournament.

This marks the 15th year of the SEC Basketball Legends program.

Noel named SEC Freshman of the Week: Freshman Nerlens Noel became the fourth Kentucky freshman to earn a Southeastern Conference weekly award when he was tabbed the league’s top performing freshman it was announced on Monday morning.

With Noel’s honor, all four of UK’s freshmen have been tabbed the league’s freshman of the week recipient at least once this season.

Noel averaged 11 points, nine rebounds, 6.5 blocks and two steals in a pair of wins for the Wildcats this week. Against Tennessee, the Everett, Mass., native posted 12 points, nine boards six blocks and four steals. He followed that performance with a 10-point, nine rebound and seven-block performance at Auburn on Saturday.

The SEC honor is the first of Noel’s career. He joins teammates Willie Cauley-Stein, Archie Goodwin and Alex Poythress as other Freshman of the Week honorees. Sophomore Kyle Wiltjer has also earned SEC Player of the Week accolades this season.