Gators Play No. 13 Kentucky in SEC Tournament QF on Friday

Friday, March 4

2:30 pm

Florida Gators

Kentucky

Coach Butler and the Gators practice on the competition court Thursday morning.

Gators Play No. 13 Kentucky in SEC Tournament QF on Friday

Thursday, March 3, 2016 | Women's Basketball

Florida is looking to advance to the semifinals for the first time since 1998.

By: Kathy Cafazzo

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – After a successful regular-season when Florida earned the No. 4 seed in the 2016 Southeastern Conference Tournament to earn a double-round bye, the Gators return to the court and play 13th-ranked and No. 5 seed Kentucky in the quarterfinals on Friday at approximately 2:30 p.m. ET at Jacksonville's Veterans Memorial Arena.

Picked in the preseason to finish 12th in the 14-team league by the conference coaches and media, Florida marched its way to a 10-6 SEC record which was good to tie for fourth (with Kentucky) in the final standings, win the tiebreaker and earn a double-round bye.

SEC Network will broadcast the quarterfinal games, with Cara Capuano & Gail Goestenkors calling the action for the Gator game.

Kentucky defeated LSU, 79-71, in its second-round game played Thursday afternoon.

The Gators and Wildcats tip-off 25 minutes following the conclusion of the South Carolina-Auburn game that is scheduled to begin the session at 12 noon.

Quick Notes vs. Kentucky

UF won the regular-season meeting, 85-79 on Jan. 31 in Gainesville
Each of the last 10 games in the series has been decided by 10 points or less, with 11 of the last 12 by 7 points or fewer.
There were only two lead changes and four tied scores in Sunday's game. The previous four meetings between Florida and Kentucky featured a combined 43 lead changes and 31 tied scores

Regular-Season Meeting

Freshman Eleanna Christinaki scored the final five points of the game that included a big steal resulting in a three-point-play with four seconds remaining and the Gators knocked off No. 12 Kentucky, 85-79, in Gainesville on January 31.
Florida led by as many as 12 points with 6:36 left in the thrilling Southeastern Conference battle, before the Wildcats staged an 18-8 rally and got within two points, 79-77, with 42 seconds to play.
the 43-points at halftime are the most UF has scored in the first half against a ranked opponent this season
In addition, the 43 first-half points were the most Kentucky has surrendered to an opponent all season (previous high was 41 to Northern Kentucky, Dec. 2, 2015).
Kentucky committed a season-high 30 turnovers
Kentucky shot a stellar 58 percent (29-50) from the floor during the game, the highest by a UF opponent this season
Florida hit 53.8 percent (35-65) from the floor, its second-highest mark of the season.

Kentucky Team Ties

Kentucky head coach Matthew Mitchell was an assistant coach at Florida for three years (2000-03), serving under former head coaches Carol Ross and Carolyn Peck. The Gators were 51-36 during his three-year stay in Gainesville, where he met his future wife Jenna.

2016 SEC Tournament Numbers of Note

This is the first time since the SEC Tournament expanded to 14 teams in 2013 that UF has earned a double-round bye.
This is the first time since 2009 that Florida has earned a bye(s) into the quarterfinal round.
This is the eighth time in 36 SEC Tournament appearances that Florida is seeded No. 4 or higher, most recently in 2009 when the Gators were seeded fourth.
Florida sports a 4-17 all-time record in SEC Tournament quarterfinal games.
The last trip to the semifinals was in 1998 in Columbus, Ga. Current Gator assistant coach Murriel Page and UF's 2016 SEC Legend Dana Smith were seniors on that second-seeded Gator team that dropped a 74-61 decision to 3-seed Alabama.
Jacksonville is approximately 71 miles from Gainesville.
This is the first time the SEC Tournament is being played in the state of Florida.

Werrrre Baaack!

The Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena is playing host to the 2016 SEC Tournament.
UF and Mississippi State got a quick preview of the arena on December 30, when the teams represented the league in the SEC-AAC Challenge, with the Gators defeating UCF and the Bulldogs downing South Florida.
It is the first time the SEC's postseason tournament will be contested in the state of Florida.

SEC Tournament Skinny

UF earned the No. 4 seed in the 2016 SEC Tournament.
In SEC Tournament games, Florida is 2-4 against Kentucky
UF is 4-17 in SEC quarterfinal games

On the Line

The winner of the 13-game tournament will receive the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

What's Next?

The NCAA Women's Championship Selection Show is scheduled for Monday, March 14.
ESPN will broadcast the field of 64 live beginning at 7 p.m. ET.

He Put a Ring on It

While she was unable to play in the regular-season finale against Auburn (Feb. 28) - Senior Day! - perhaps Carlie Needles' boyfriend still was able to put a smile on her face.
Karl Miller dropped to one knee and surprised Needles with a marriage proposal and an engagement ring on Saturday, Feb. 27.
Needles wore it while sitting on the bench for the entire game against Auburn.
Needles left the game at LSU (Feb. 25) 32 seconds into the second half after a collision and did not return after reporting 'concussion-like' symptoms.

Florida at the SEC Tournament

Florida holds a 19-35 all-time record in the SEC Tournament.
Florida has played in the SEC Tournament quarterfinal round in four of the last five years, as well as in eight of the last 10 tournaments.
The Gator's best finish was reaching the championship game in 1997, the team's lone appearance in the final.
Current UF head coach Amanda Butler was an assistant coach on the 1997 Gator staff that year and current UF assistant coach Murriel Page was the starting forward and earned a spot on the All-Tournament Team.

Butler at the SEC Tournament

During her two seasons as an assistant coach at Florida, Amanda Butler helped the Gators reach the SEC Tournament semifinal round in 1996 and the championship game in 1997.
During her four-year career as a starting point guard for the Gators (1990-94), Butler played in and started five SEC Tournament games, averaging 29.4 minutes, while contributing 4.2 points, 3.0 assists and 2.6 steals.

Player Page at the SEC Tournament

Current assistant coach Murriel Page was named to the 1996 and 1997 SEC All-Tournament Teams.
She appeared in 10 SEC Tournament games from 1995-98, totaling 145 points (14.5 ppg) and 109 rebounds (10.9 rpg), while helping the Gators reach semifinals in 1996 and the championship game in 1997 – in what remains UF's lone appearance in the title game.

Last Time We Played: Florida 56, Auburn 49 (February 28, 2016 * O'Connell Center * Gainesville, FL)

A balanced scoring effort and yet another strong performance on the offensive glass led the Florida women's basketball team to a 56-49 win over Auburn in the regular-season finale for both teams.
As a team, Florida shot just 25.5 percent, its lowest shooting percentage in a victory in program history.
The club's 13 field goals allowed also matched the third-lowest total in school history.
The Gators were stingy on the defensive end of the floor, however, holding Auburn below 40 percent from the field and forcing the Tigers into 26 turnovers.
The Gators also grabbed 23 offensive rebounds, which were converted into 24 second-chance points.

Preseason Picks

Florida was voted by the league's coaches and media to finish 12th in the 14-team league.

Gripping Gators

Florida is 11-3 this year in games decided by 10 points or less, including 7-2 in SEC games
2015-16 games: Temple, Florida State, Ball State, Arkansas State, NC State, Mississippi State, Tennessee, Georgia, LSU, Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Texas A&M and Auburn.

A Gator Win on Friday would ...

Advance the Gators to the SEC Tournament for the fifth time in program history and for the first time since 1998, when UF was the No. 2 seed, defeated No. 7 Arkansas before falling in the semifinals to No. 3 Alabama.
Improve UF's overall record to 23-7 and be tied for the second-best 30-game record in program history, trailing only the 24-6 record of the 2000-01 team.

Florida's DEPTH at a Glance!

On the 13-player roster...
10 Gators average at least 12.5 minutes of playing time per game
9 Gators average at least 5.0 points per game
11 Gators have made at least one three-pointer (Fleming and Lorenzen have never attempted a three-pointer).
11 have started at least one game during their respective Gator careers (Dimaite and Young have not), while 10 of the 13 have started at least once this season.
9 DIFFERENT Gators have been UF's leading scorer in a game this season
7 DIFFERENT Gators have been UF's leading rebounder in a game this season
6 DIFFERENT Gators have scored 20 or more points in a game this season

Balance, too!

UF ranks No. 14 in the nation in scoring offense (78.3 ppg), however, the team's leading scorers - Ronni Williams and Eleanna Christinaki- average just 11.2 and 10.3 points per game, respectively.
Sophomore Haley Lorenzen averages 9.6 points, while senior Cassie Peoples and junior Simone Westbrook are close behind at 9.1 and 8.0 per game, respectively.

Gator Watch

Ronni Williams, a postseason (and preseason) Second Team All-SEC performer, is UF's leading scorer (11.2 ppg) and rebounder (7.9 ppg).
In SEC games, Williams averaged team-bests of 8.8 rebounds per game, while netting 10.6 points.
Williams ranked No. 3 in the SEC for rebounding in league games
She has recorded eight double-doubles this season (13 in career)
Has 17 double-figure scoring games this year (most on team)
SEC Player of Week (honored Feb. 9) for 20-point, 15-rebound game vs. No. 12 Texas A&M - first such honor of career

Rookie Review

Eleanna Christinaki is the only true freshman on the Gator squad and has made quite an impact!
Has 15 double-figure scoring games - second-most on the team
Is UF's assists leader
Has been UF's leading game scorer 8 times
Has been UF's leading rebounder twice
Has been UF's assists leader in a team-best 16 games
THREE TIMES named the SEC Freshman of the Week (Dec. 8-14, Jan. 5-11 and Jan. 25-Feb. 1)
Just missed a triple-double vs. UCF (Dec. 30) - 14 points, 10 rebounds, 9 assists

Lovin' Lorenzen

It's been everything EXCEPT a "sophomore slump" for Haley Lorenzen
UF's third-leading scorer and second-leading rebounder
This year has been UF's leading scorer in 3 games (tied for the third-most on the team)
Has been UF's leading rebounder in a game five times (second-most on the team)
Scored in a team-leading 57 consecutive games
10 double-figure scoring games -(the fourth-most on the team)

STOP! THIEF! Wait - no, don't stop!

Junior newcomer Simone Westbrook is a huge reason why the Gators lead the SEC in steals (SEC games and overall) this season.
The crafty guard leads the team in thefts and ranks No. 3 in the league (all games) for steals (Tied-No. 5 in SEC games)!
Westbrook has had at least one steal in every game except two (Arkansas State, Texas A&M).
She's had a career-high six steals in four games this year.
UF has posted 10-plus steals in all but five games this season.
UF has at least 10 steals in 18 of the last 21 games (entering SECs)

Florida vs. Ranked Teams

UF is 4-3 this year against ranked teams.
- Defeated No. 6/7 Florida State, 82-72
- Lost to No. 8 Mississippi State, 76-70
- Defeated No. 12/11 Tennessee, 74-66
- Lost to No. 23/rv Missouri, 79-64
- Defeated No. 12 Kentucky, 85-79
- Defeated No. 12/11 Texas A&M, 83-81
- Lost at No. 2 South Carolina, 86-71
The highest-ranked team the Gators have defeated under Amanda Butler was No. 6 - TWICE! Florida State, 82-72, in Gainesville on Nov. 16, 2015 and Kentucky, 83-73, in Lexington on Jan. 5, 2014

UF's Upset Victories vs. Higher-Ranked Opponents (using AP Poll ranking at game time)

56 All-Time Upset Wins (3 this year)
30 upset wins at home (3 this year)
18 upset wins on away courts
8 upset wins on neutral site courts
35 upset wins when UF was not ranked, including 16 under Coach Butler (3 this year)

Gators as a Ranked Team

UF is 155-81 all-time (4-4 this year) playing as a ranked team
84-20 record when playing at home (4-1 this year)
44-40 record when playing on an away court (0-3 this year)
Prior to this season, the last game UF played as a ranked team: March 24, 2009 at No. 1 Connecticut (L, 87-59) in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
PRIOR to this season, the last time UF played a HOME game as a ranked team: Feb. 22, 2009 - No. 15 Gators vs. South Carolina (W, 82-66)

Quotes from the Court – UF Head Coach Amanda Butler:

On what the team has worked on without knowing its first game opponent:
"We've focused 100 percent on ourselves and trying to continue to improve. That's been our mission all year long, how can we continue to improve, to grow as a unit and also pushing them as individuals. We've gotten a lot of shots up and had a lot of time together and we've had some really brief, but intense practices and I think it's moved us forward."

On playing Kentucky in the SEC Quarterfinal round and what she recalls from the regular season win:
"It was one of our best games of the year. We played really, really well. We would need to replicate that performance because they are playing really well. A lot of people believe they are the hottest team in the league right now. The great thing is that they haven't changed much since we played them (in January), they are just playing better. Same personnel. It's a team we are obviously familiar with. It was a little bit longer ago when we played them as opposed to when we played LSU, but it's always a battle when we play them and I'm sure it will be a great matchup."

On Gator fans attending the SEC Tournament:
"We've been excited even when it became an idea for the SEC Tournament to be in Jacksonville. Knowing the city and knowing Gator fans, I knew that it would have great support. We sold out our ticket allotment over a month ago. On Wednesday, fans set an SEC Tournament attendance record and that's a great indication of how Jacksonville is embracing the tournament and that it really can be a host site if we can continued to push those attendance numbers up and create an environment that is unique to the SEC. It's what these SEC student-athletes deserve because we really have the best collection of teams and players in the country. It's an amazing collection of people and it's a chance for fans to experience great, great basketball in a historic way because this has never happened in the state of Florida prior to this year."

Thursday's Links from Jacksonville:

VIDEO: Practice Update
VIDEO: Off-day fun
PHOTO GALLERY

Game Day at a Glance:

Who: #25/24-ranked/#4-seed Florida (22-7, 10-6 SEC) vs. #13-ranked/#5-seed Kentucky (22-6, 10-6 SEC)
Where: Veterans Memorial Arena (8,543) * Jacksonville, Florida
When: Fri., March 4, 2016 * ~2:30 pm ET
What: SEC Tournament Quarterfinal Round

Game Notes:

Game Coverage & More!

Radio: LIVE on ESPN Gainesville (WRUF-AM850/FM95.3) with Adam Schick & Brittany Davis
Internet Audio: LIVE thru FloridaGators.com (FREE)
Television: SEC Network with Cara Capuano & Gail Goestenkors
Internet Video: WatchESPN
Internet Scoring: SECSports.com
Satellite Radio: Sirius 145 / XM 190 / Online 963

Opening Tip

UF finished the regular season tied with Kentucky for fourth place and via the tiebreaker earned the No. 4 seed in the SEC Tournament
This is the eighth time in 36 SEC Tournament appearances that Florida is seeded No. 4 or higher, most recently in 2009 when the Gators were seeded fourth.
The Gators are 19-35 all-time in SEC Tournament games, including 5-8 under Head Coach Amanda Butler
UF led the SEC (league games) in steals (11.3 pg) and offensive rebounds (15.8 pg), and finished second in scoring offense (70.9 pg), assists (14.0), 3-PT FG made (5.8 pg) and rebounding offense (39.8)
14 of UF's games have been decided by 10 points or less (11-3), including nine SEC games (7-2).