Rivalry Week: Gators Host Seminoles on Friday at 5:30 p.m.
Thursday, November 22, 2007 | Women's Basketball
The weekend portion of Rivalry Week between Florida and Florida State has arrived … as the Gators and Seminoles clash on the hard-court of the O'Connell Center on Friday beginning at 5:30 p.m.
The Florida swimming and diving teams kicked off/splashed off Rivalry Week 2007 against Florida State in grand fashion on Tuesday, November 20, when the Gators combined to win 18 events, including three of four relays, to defeat the Seminoles.
Now the attention turns to basketball, as a doubleheader between the two schools takes place Friday. The Gator women's team (3-1) plays host to the 20th-ranked Seminoles (4-1) beginning at 5:30 p.m., with the men tipping-off at 8 p.m.
The Gator and Seminole football teams square off Saturday at 5 p.m. in 'The Swamp."
Game Day Gator Tales
Florida-Florida State rivalry aside, the women's basketball Gators are in for their toughest test of the young season, playing their first of several nationally ranked teams this year.
The Seminoles enter the game ranked No. 20 (AP) and No. 21 (ESPN/Coaches) in the country and are outscoring their opponents by an average of 19 points per game.
This is the 64th game in the series between the two teams, but the first time the Seminoles enter it ranked among the nation's top-25.
The Florida-Florida Series
The 63-game series against the Seminoles is the longest for the Gator women's basketball team, which sports a 39-24 overall record versus the team from Tallahassee.
FSU enters the November 23rd game nationally ranked and is a huge favorite in this match-up.
After winning 16 straight against the 'Noles beginning in the mid-90's, the recent momentum has swung in their favor and entering Friday's game having won three of the last four in the series.
Tough Start
Florida State is the fifth consecutive opponent on Florida's season-opening stretch that competed in the NCAA Tournament last season.
Joining the Fun!
During the 2005-06 campaign, the women's hoops teams played twice during the regular season to alter the location of future games to coincide with the school playing host the football game between the two programs - so fans in town for the gridiron game could also enjoy the rivalry on the women's hardcourt.
Friday's game marks the first time the Gator and Seminole men's & women's basketball teams have played a doubleheader the night prior to the school's football teams hitting the gridiron.
First-Hand Knowledge
Head coach Amanda Butler knows better than anyone about the rivalry that exists between the Gators and Seminoles. As a four-year starting guard, Butler and the Gators posted a 2-2 record against their in-state rivals. The first two meetings were overtime losses, with Florida claiming the final two victories during Butler's tenure on the court. Those two wins sparked a 16-game Gator win streak in the series that FSU finally halted, 72-62, on November 22, 2004 in Gainesville.
UF vs. Ranked Teams
Florida owns a 50-154 all-time record versus teams ranked in the Associated Press Top-25 national poll.
Stop That Streak!
The Gators have lost 10 consecutive games to ranked teams, posting a 0-9 record during the 2006-07 season and dropping the last game they played versus a ranked foe in 2005-06. Florida's last win over a ranked team was the 95-93 overtime thriller in Knoxville against No. 5 Tennessee on Feb. 26, 2006.
UF's team co-captains during that stunning victory were Brittany Davis and Sarah Lowe - both of whom are expected to be in the stands for Friday's game. Brittany will serve as the Gator's radio color talent for this and several games in 2008, while Sarah is in Gainesville for the Thanksgiving holiday, traveling from Costa Rica where she is performing research as a Fulbright Scholar.
Florida Coaches in their First Year vs. Ranked Teams
Friday's game is the first time Amanda Butler will guide her Gator team against a nationally ranked opponent. The previous eight Florida head coaches posted a combined 1-29 record in their debut season versus ranked teams. Debbie Yow's unranked squad defeated No. 20 Kentucky, 68-66 on Dec. 22, 1983 ... which also was the program's first-ever victory against a nationally ranked opponent.
Scouting Florida State
The Seminoles have won their four contests this season by an average of 30.5 points per game, including Tuesday's 77-42 pasting of Fordham.
The team's lone loss was a 79-68 decision to 24th-ranked DePaul on the Blue Demons' home court. FSU was without the services of 6-foot-4 center Britany Miller, who sprained her ankle a few days earlier. Miller is expected to play in Friday's game, which will pose even more a challenge for the gravity-challenged Gators.
Miller grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds and blocked three shots while altering several others in last year's FSU 22-point win that was tied for the largest Seminole win in the 63-game series.
FSU has used balanced scoring with three players averaging double-figures and a total of six contributing at least 6.8 per game. Joining Miller in the paint is fellow 6-4 sophomore Jacinta Munroe, who leads the offense with 14.0 points, hitting 70.3 percent of her shots. Junior Mara Freshour takes care of the outside work, nailing 50 percent (11-22) from the 3-point arc en route to 12.8 points per game. Junior Tanae Davis-Cain adds 10.8 points, canning 36.4 percent (8-22) from long range.
Who's Hot?
On the perimeter, Depree Bowden has picked up where she left off last season, contributing a team-high 17 points with 4.8 rebounds and 12 assists. Bowden, who is the only Gator to score in double-figures in every game this season, scored a game-high 23 points in Florida's 69-63 victory over Prairie View A&M, November 20. That total was Bowden's fifth 20-point game of her career.
Junior Marshae Dotson has been the undersized work-horse in the paint again this season! The 5-11 forward led the Gators with 25 points and 16 rebounds in their win against Robert Morris. She posted her second double-double of the year with 15 points and 11 rebounds against Prairie View A&M, while dishing a career-high six assists. Dotson, who has collected at least 11 rebounds in each of the last three games, has been a key reason the Gators have out-rebounded each of their first four opponents.
Game Day Information
What: Game 5: Florida hosts No. 20 Florida State
When: Friday, November 23, 2007 * 5:30 pm
Where: Gainesville, Fla. * Stephen C. O'Connell Center (12,000)
Radio: LIVE on WRUF AM850 in Gainesville - audio simulcast on Cox Channel 96 with Steve Russell & Brittany Davis
Internet Audio: LIVE thru GatorZone.com (FREE of charge)
GatorVision Online: none
Television: LIVE on FSN Florida (not state-wide broadcast, airing in Florida only in North/Central territory), Mick Hubert & Steve Babik
Post-Game Satellite Feed: none
Tickets (doubleheaders): all fans MUST have a ticket to the men's game for admission to the women's game (or be a women's season-ticket holder or a Gold Card member)
Men's Tickets/Doubleheaders: Reserved Seating - $18; General Admission - $10; UF Students are FREE
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