Gators Host State Farm Classic, December 28 & 29
Thursday, December 27, 2007 | Women's Basketball
The University of Florida plays host to the 17th Annual State Farm Classic beginning on Friday, December 28th. Alabama A&M plays UNC Asheville in the opening game at 4:30 p.m., with the Gators facing Holy Cross at 7 p.m. in the O'Connell Center.
Game Day Gator Tales
Friday's opening round pits Florida against Holy Cross. The game is the team's first since its 83-77 victory over Saint Louis on December 22nd. The contest also marks the Gator's second game in the last 12 days ... and only their third in the last 24 days!
This relaxed schedule came on the heels of an 11-day span when Florida played five games!
The Gators look to extend their current three-game win streak, the team's longest since the 2005-06 season. The three-game run is the longest since that 2005-06 squad won five straight games ... which began with two wins in the State Farm Classic.
State Farm Classic History
Florida's annual State Farm Classic has traditionally featured some of the nation's finest teams and players.
At least one team from the four-team field has earned an NCAA Tournament berth in 12 of the 15 years, including the 1994 field that featured all four future NCAA selections.
A total of 28 alumnae competing in UF's State Farm Classic have gone on to play professional basketball in the WNBA.
Florida has won 13 of the previous 16 State Farm Classic titles and has advanced to the championship game in all 16.
Coach Butler Knows the SFC
Amanda Butler has played in the State Farm Classic, worked as an assistant coach for two different teams in the State Farm Classic and gets her first taste of the event as a head coach.
Butler was a freshman when the tournament debuted in December of 1990, and helped the Gators win the first four titles, that culminated in her selection to the 1993 All-Tournament her senior year. In UF's inaugural game, Butler helped the Gators defeat Tennessee State in 1990 with a then-tournament record 10 assists, a record that still stands as the second-most in a single game. Her two-game 15-assist total in 1990 still stands as tied for the most in tournament history, while her six steals against Penn in 1993 ranks second in the SFC record book.
As a Gator assistant coach during the 1996 and 1997 events, Butler and UF captured the State Farm Classic titles.
Butler returned to the SFC as an assistant coach with Charlotte, but the 49ers fell to the Gators, 86-72, in the 2004 title game.
Rested and Ready
The holiday break couldn't have come at a better time for the Gators, whose roster was so depleted during its last game - December 22nd vs. Saint Louis - that only eight scholarship players could suit up. The first practice following the break, 11 scholarship Gators (plus walk-on Jordan Parker) were on the court and participated in practice!
Scouting Holy Cross (4-6)
Friday's game will be the second-ever meeting between Florida and Holy Cross. The Gators claimed the previous outing, 84-52, on March 15, 2001 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
The Crusaders are the eighth different team UF is playing this season that competed in the NCAA Tournament last year. Additionally, Holy Cross 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. Holy Cross has made nine trips in the last 11 years to the 'Big Dance.'
The class of the Patriot League, Holy Cross has won 11 titles in the 17-year history of the league. The Crusaders were picked to finish third in the preseason standings, while collecting one first-place vote.
Sophomore Bethany O'Dell was voted to the five-player preseason All-League Team and has lived up to the billing. The guard is averaging 11.5 points with 4.0 rebounds per game this season, hitting 35.7 percent (15-42) from the three-point arc. Briana McFadden joins O'Dell as the only other player averaging double-figure scoring entering the State Farm Classic, contributing 14.5 points per game, with most coming from behind the arc (37.1%, 23-62). On the cusp of netting double-figures is Laura Aloisi, who tallies 9.8 per game in addition to a team-best 3.3 assists and 2.2 steals per outing while canning an impressive 57.6 percent (19-33) from long range. The trio of O'Dell, McFadden and Aloisi forms a lethal three-point attack, combining for 57 of the team's 70 buckets from behind the arc, where the Crusaders average 7.0 three-pointers per game, hitting at an impressive 36.6 percent (70-191) clip.
Scouting Alabama A&M (1-6)
The Bulldogs will aim to snap their current three-game losing streak, which includes losses to a pair of SEC teams. A possible Saturday meeting against Florida would be Alabama A&M's fourth different opponent from the Southeastern Conference. The Bulldogs already have dropped decisions to Ole Miss (73-57), Alabama (62-57) and South Carolina (88-41).
Six of the team's seven games this season have been on the road, with the lone home contest resulting in a Bulldog victory, a 67-63 win against UT Chattanooga on December 1st.
Alabama A&M has used several different starting lineups this season, with 10 different players all earning a spot on the floor for the opening tip.
In the Bulldog's last game, Felicia Drummond scored a team-high 23 points with 11 rebounds, as the team came up just short to Murray State, 76-72, on December 22nd.
Katrich Williams, one of two players who have started every game, leads the team with 11.0 points per game, while Drummond collects a team-high 6.0 rebounds per outing along with her 10.0 points.
Scouting UNC Asheville (7-5)
The Bulldogs enter the SFC off a 66-60 win over Mercer on December 21st. Asheville is the defending Big South Conference champion and made its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance last year.
Senior guard Ashton Barton, a preseason first-team All-Big South Conference selection, leads the team with 13.3 points per game and current the only player averaging double-figures. Jessica Monroe nets 9.9 points per game while five additional Bulldogs contribute at least 7.0 points to produce a balanced scoring effort.
Stacy Shepard has been the team's rebounding leader, collecting 9.3 per game, while Ana Baker dishes a team-best 5.6 assists per game.
Like the Gators, the Bulldogs relish their home court where the sport a 6-1 record. The team, however, is 1-4 away from the friend confines of the Justice Center.
A Saturday-meeting against Florida would be the first-ever between the two programs.
Gator Watch
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 a team-leading 14.9 points with 5.1 rebounds, along with UF-bests of 3.0 assists and 2.5 steals.
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 have out-rebounded nine of their 11 opponents. She contributes 14.7 points and 9.6 rebounds, while shooting a steady 57.4 percent from the floor - the fifth-highest percentage in the SEC this season.
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 11.0 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 three 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. Brooks sank a career-high 25 consecutive from the free throw this season, with her streak ending during the December 16th game vs. TCU. Brooks leads the SEC in free throw percentage, hitting 90.5 percent (38-42) from the stripe.
Who's Hot?
In Florida's last two games, Depree Bowden is averaging 22.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 4.0 steals while hitting 9-of-18 from the 3-point arc and 9-of-9 from the free throw line.
Tournament Information
What: Florida Host the 17th Annual State Farm Classic
When: Friday & Saturday, December 28 & 29, 2007
Dec. 28: Game 1: Alabama A&M vs. UNC Asheville: 4:30 pm
Dec. 28: Game 2: Florida vs. Holy Cross: 7 pm
Dec. 29: Game 3: Holy Cross vs. Alabama A&M or UNCA: 4:30 pm
Dec. 29: Game 4: Florida vs. Alabama A&M or UNCA: 7 pm
Where: Gainesville, Fla. * Stephen C. O'Connell Center (12,000)
Radio: UF games LIVE on WRUF AM850 in Gainesville - audio simulcast on Cox Channel 96 with Steve Babik & Steve Russell
Internet Audio: UF games LIVE thru GatorZone.com (FREE of charge)
GatorVision Online: UF games LIVE thru GatorZone.com
Television: none
Post-Game Satellite Feed: Dec. 28 & 29 - Time: 22:30-22:45 ET
Satellite: KU Band Digital Feed - Galaxy 11, Transponder 15K, Slot A
Downlink Freq.: 11986.5 Horizontal Symbol Rate: 3.9787
Data Rate: 5.5 FEC: 3/4 Truck Trouble #: 352- 392- 8043
Tickets: Reserved Seating - $5.00; General Admission - $4 Adults & $2 youth age 17 & under; UF Students are FREE
END OF REPORT
