Gators Host Vanderbilt on Thursday at 7 p.m.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008 | Women's Basketball
Florida returns to the O'Connell Center where it will play host to Vanderbilt on Thursday at 7 p.m. The game is the first of a tough three-game homestand for the Gators (16-4, 3-2 SEC), who next face No. 8 LSU (16-3, 5-0 SEC) on Sunday before entertaining Auburn (14-6, 2-3 SEC) the following Thursday.
Game Day Gator Tales
Florida is aiming to show that its last performance inside the O'Connell Center was not typical “Gator Basketball.” When the team played host to No. 17 Georgia on January 24, the Bulldogs strolled away with the 82-55 decision, as UF played one of its worst games of the year, shooting a season-low 30.2 percent from the floor and netting its second-fewest points.
Even Stephen
Both teams enter Thursday's game in the Stephen C. O'Connell Center with identical 14-6 overall records, as well as matching 3-2 SEC marks. The only common league foe that both has faced so far is Georgia, whom the Commodores downed 67-59 in Nashville.
Building Momentum
The Gators enter Thursday's game coming off a thrilling 60-57 road win against South Carolina on Sunday afternoon. Sharielle Smith's career-high 18 points helped UF build a 17-point lead, before the Gators staved off a furious Gamecock rally to take the victory.
Vanderbilt enters the mid-week contest fresh off its dominating 83-50 home victory over Ole Miss. The Commodores jumped out to a 40-12 halftime lead, holding the Lady Rebels to a 15.4 percent shooting effort in the opening half, en route to the win.
Home Sweet Home
Eleven of Florida's 14 wins this season have come within the friendly confines of the O'Connell Center. The Gators sport an 11-2 record this year in Gainesville, where they had won eight consecutive games before their January 24th loss to Georgia.
The eight-game home win streak tied for the fifth-longest in program history.
The Florida-Vanderbilt Series
Vanderbilt leads the 43-game series 25-18, but the Gators hold a 10-8 edge in games played in Gainesville, where Florida earned its last win against the Commodores, 73-59 on January 22, 2006. Since that victory, however, VU has taken the last two meetings, including the crushing 105-77 outcome in the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament, when the Dores canned 11-of-15 three-pointers, shooting 70.4 percent in the first half and 66.0 percent for the game. That 28-point decision was the most lopsided in the series history.
The Commodores also have won four of the last five games and six of the last nine against the Gators.
Pre-Season Picks
The SEC coaches selected Florida to finish 11th in the 12-team league standings during the preseason vote, while Vanderbilt was picked to place fourth.
The media poll was identical to the coaches' poll, with one change: picking the Gators to finish 10th and South Carolina to place 11th.
Numbers to Note
Marshae Dotson is the SEC's second-leading rebounder for league games, collecting 9.2 per outing, trailing only the 9.6 per game by LSU All-American Sylvia Fowles.
Sha Brooks' next 3-pointer will be the 143rd of her career and move her into sole possession of No. 3 on UF's all-time chart. She currently is tied with Dana Smith (1994-98). Brandi McCain sits No. 2 on the chart with 230 three-pointers during her career (1998-02)
Who's Hot?
Sharielle Smith is coming off a career-high 18-point performance against South Carolina, scoring 17 of those in the first half.
Marshae Dotson scored 12 of her 16 points against South Carolina in the second half, finishing the night hitting 6-of-7 from the floor while collecting seven rebounds and a career-high four steals.
Scouting Vanderbilt
The Commodores traditionally have been one of the most accurate shooting teams in the country, and the 2007-08 edition is no exception. Vanderbilt enters Thursday's game ranked fifth in the country in field goal percentage, knocking down 48.2 percent of its tries, including 37.7 percent (124-329) from the three-point arc, a mark that ranks No. 20 nationally.
Junior guard/forward Christina Wirth leads the balanced scoring attack with 13.2 points per game, as she connects on 42.3 percent (41-97) from long range and 48.6 percent overall.
Liz Sherwood, a 6-foot-4 center, has come off the bench in every SEC game after starting 12 non-league contests, contributes 12.7 points, while leading the nation with a 69.5 percent field goal accuracy mark.
Four of the team's six losses this season have been against nationally-ranked opponents, including both SEC setbacks (LSU & Tennessee).
The “Big Three”
During the preseason, Florida's 'Big 3' were expected to produce big things ... and they have not disappointed. The trio of Depree Bowden, Marshae Dotson and Sha Brooks combined for 791 of UF's 1400 points (56.5%), 340 of 821 rebounds (41.4%), 138 of 276 assists (50.0%) and 117 of 205 steals (57.1%) this season.
Dotson Trying to Join Brooks with 1,000
Junior Marshae Dotson is on-pace to become the 20th Gator to score 1,000 career points. Fellow classmate Sha Brooks topped the milestone during the December 22 game against Saint Louis.
The last time the Gators took the court feature two 1,000-point scorers was during the 1999-2000 season, when three players all topped the milestone: Tiffany Travis, Tonya Washington and Tamara Stocks … and all three eclipsed the mark during that same season.
Senior Depree Bowden has an outside chance to reach the 1,000-point mark, but would need to average 17.9 points over the next 10 games (should UF lose in the first round of the SEC Tournament and not make any kind of postseason appearance).
Game Day Information
What: Game 21: Florida hosts Vanderbilt
When: Thursday, January 31, 2008 * 7 p.m., ET
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: delayed next day per SEC television contractual agreements
Television: none
Post-Game Satellite Feed: Jan. 31: Time: 22:15-22:30 ET
Satellite: KU Band Digital Feed - Galaxy 11, Transponder 19K, Slot A
Downlink Freq.: 12066.5 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
Additional Hoopla for Thursday's Game:
GRU Hat Giveaway – The first 1,000 fans will receive Florida Women's Basketball hat courtesy of GRU.
The DYLC Youth Step Team will perform at halftime.
Military Appreciation Night – Active and retired military personnel will receive free admission coupons. There will be a halftime contest featuring a member from each branch of the Armed Forces and a social in the Gate 3 lobby.
Big Brother/Big Sister Mentor Night – Big Brother and Big Sister mentors and their brothers/sisters have been invited to game and will receive free admission.
Elementary & Middle School Attendance Challenge – All schools in Alachua and Marion counties will be invited. The one school with the highest % of students in attendance will win $1,500 cash for their school.
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