Gators Return to Court After 12-Day Break to Host TCU on Sunday at 2 p.m.
Thursday, December 13, 2007 | Women's Basketball
On Sunday, December 16, the Gators return to the court where they play host to TCU in the O'Connell Center beginning at 2 p.m. There also will be a Toys for Tots Collection and anyone who brings a new, unwrapped toy valued at $5 or more will receive free admission for them and a guest.
Game Day Gator Tales
After playing five games in 11 days, Florida took the entire week of December 10th off from competition, taking a much-needed break for final exams that ran through December 14th.
Now the Gators have to shake off the rust and play their first game since their 78-52 victory over Florida Gulf Coast on December 4th - 12 days ago!
While the Gators are hitting the court for the first time in 12 days, the Lady Frogs last laced 'em up on December 8th (eight days ago), earning an 85-55 victory over Coppin State.
Florida and TCU enter Sunday's game coming off a victory in their most recent respective outings - with each snapping two-game slides.
TCU is one of 18 teams on UF's schedule that competed in the postseason last year - and one of 14 teams that earned a trip to the NCAA Tournament.
Individual Milestone Alert
Junior Sha Brooks enters Sunday's game with 990 career points ... needing 10 more to become the 19th different Gator to reach the 1,000-point milestone. During her 70-game career, Brooks has scored at least 10 points 51 times, including seven double-figure scoring games this season.
Should she eclipse the mark on Sunday, Brooks would tie three others as the fifth fastest Gator to hit the milestone, with only Tammy Jackson (51 games), Quientella Bonner (53 games), Merlakia Jones (64 games) and Sophia Witherspoon (67 games) needing fewer appearances.
Conference Favorites
TCU is the 10th team UF is playing and the fifth different non-SEC team on the Gator's schedule that was the preseason pick to finish either first or second in their respective league standings (Xavier picked No. 2 in Atlantic 10; Robert Morris picked No. 2 in Northeast; Prairie View picked to win SWAC; Jacksonville picked to win Atlantic Sun).
The five teams that were not among the top-two picks of their respective conferences: Florida State (ranked No. 20 nationally and picked fourth in the ACC), Nebraska (receiving votes in the national polls and picked seventh in the Big 12), Stetson (picked 11th in the 12-team Atlantic Sun), Louisville (AP preseason national poll No. 21 and picked sixth in the 16-team BIG EAST) and Florida Gulf Coast (picked 10th in the 12-team Atlantic Sun in its first year of Division I play ... 2007 Division II national runner-up).
Scouting TCU
The Lady Frogs enter Sunday's game with five losses, however, three of those were against top-15-ranked teams (No. 5 LSU, No. 12 California and No. 13 Texas A&M). The other two losses were single-digit setbacks.
Senior guard Adrianne Ross, the reigning Co-MWC Player of the Year, leads the Lady Frogs again this season, averaging team highs of 13.6 points, 3.0 assists and 2.0 steals per game. Last year Ross tagged the Gators for 22 points and six steals.
Senior guard Helen Roden is the only other player current averaging a double-figure scoring effort with 10.5 per game, but has been suspended since Nov. 27 and her status for Sunday's game is unknown. She started the first four games and was slated to come off the bench against Cal, but did not play.
Freshman forward Helena Sverrisdottir (7.0 ppg, 5.7 rpg) has been the only player who has started each of the team's nine games.
We Meet Again
TCU is one of seven non-conference teams UF will play this season that also appeared on last year's schedule. The Gators posted a 1-6 record versus those teams during the 2006-07 campaign, defeating Stetson, but falling to Xavier, Nebraska, Florida State, Louisville, TCU and Temple.
The 2007-08 Gators have avenged one of those losses, defeating Xavier, 82-71, on Nov. 9th, while falling to Nebraska (Nov. 17), Florida State (Nov. 23) and Louisville (Dec. 2).
Who's Hot?
During the preseason, Florida's 'Big 3' were expected to produce big things ... and none has disappointed.
Depree Bowden, the lone senior on the 2007-08 squad, has picked up where she left off last season, contributing 13.3 points with 4.4 rebounds, along with a team-high 2.8 assists.
Junior Marshae Dotson has been the undersized work-horse in the paint again this season! The 5-11 forward has four double-doubles this year, with the most recent a 13 point-10 rebound performance at Louisville (Dec. 2). Dotson, who ranks fourth in the SEC for rebounding, has been a key reason the Gators out-rebounded each of their first six opponents (seven times in nine games).
She had one quiet game offensively where she did not score (vs. Robert Morris), but aside from that game, Sha Brooks has been a steady contributor, averaging 11.3 points. She played perhaps her most complete game against FGCU, contributing 10 points, seven rebounds and a career-high nine assists. Brooks, who has tallied at least 10 points in all except two games this year, scored a team-high 16 points against Stetson (Nov. 26), when she hit 10-for-10 from the free throw line to tie a program game record for highest percentage and has extended that streak to 23 straight entering Sunday's game against TCU.
Who Else is Hot?
First-year junior Aneika Henry used her 6-3 frame to her advantage against undersized FGCU, as she contributed a career- and game-high 17 points, hitting 8-for-8 from the field in the win.
Game Day Information
What: Game 10: Florida hosts TCU
When: Sunday, December 16, 2007 * 2 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 Babik & Steve Russell
Internet Audio: LIVE thru GatorZone.com (FREE of charge)
GatorVision Online: none
Television: LIVE on Sun Sports & FOX College Sports with Mick Hubert & Mark Wise
Post-Game Satellite Feed: none
Tickets: Reserved Seating - $5.00; General Admission - $4 Adults & $2 youth age 17 & under; UF Students are FREE
Special Game-Day Promotions:
Toys for Tots Collection – Anyone who brings a new, unwrapped toy valued at $5 or more will receive free admission for them and a guest.
KTK/Gainesville Sun Gator Kids Club Day – All members who RSVP may participate in a pre or post-game clinic and receive a free hot dog and soda. Free admission for members and up to 2 guests.
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