File photo		BACK FOR MORE UK guard Nikki Hay (above) has returned to the Cats' lineup after a knee injury. She averaged 8.3 points per game last season.

Last Tuesday night, the Indiana Hoosiers nipped the Cats 84-71 behind a lopsided game at the free-throw line. Indiana notched 15 more attempts than Big Blue. Senior center Kim Denkins led UK's scoring effort with 21 points, including an 8-for-11 performance from the field. Freshman Laura Meadows continued to establish her presence by adding 20 points.

Despite the loss, UK did have a high note -- the return of senior guard Nikki Hay, who played her first game of the 1997 season after recovering from a knee injury. Hay played 13 minutes and scored two points.

The Cats then traveled to Springfield, Mo., and took a 20-point loss at the hands of Southwest Missouri State. UK shot only 37 percent from the field, and yielded to the Lady Bears' defense, coughing up a whopping 30 turnovers.

Junior guard Tiffany Wait was the high scorer for UK with 18 points. Hay made her first start and played 17 minutes, scoring four points and grabbing three rebounds.

Head coach Bernadette Mattox says it's good to have Hay back with the team, and is satisfied with her team's maturation.

"It's going to take some time," Mattox said. "(Hay) is wanting to play all the time and wanting to go hard. I feel good about where it is right now."

Hay's return gives the Cats a scoring boost on the court and now that nearly all of UK's wounds are healed, the Cats can finally play with a full deck. Mattox hasn't been upset with the team's play in the two losses, pointing out the season is just starting.

"I'm not disappointed, it's just the beginning of the season," Mattox said. "Our players now understand what they've got to do in order for the team to be successful. We've got some weaknesses that we have to turn into strength."

The road stretch doesn't give UK much time to strengthen. The Wildcats travel to East Lansing, Mich., to face last year's Big Ten champions Michigan State tonight. The Spartans drubbed UK last year 76-50 at Memorial Coliseum. Even though MSU doesn't return all five starters from last year, it still has a champion mentality.

"A championship team is a championship team, and you're going to have some carry-over from that," Mattox said. "They're a defending champion, that's what they're made of. A very good basketball program."

After taking on the Spartans, UK makes a weekend getaway to Nebraska to play in the Huskers' two day tournament.