Florida Hosts FAMU on Friday at 7 p.m.; Aiming for 10th Straight Win
Thursday, December 11, 2008 | Women's Basketball
The No. 23-ranked (AP) University of Florida women's basketball team puts its nine-game winning streak to the test on Friday, when the Gators entertain Florida A&M (4-2) in the O'Connell Center beginning at 7 p.m.
Friday's game against Florida A&M will be the last time the Gators take the court before turning their focus to final exams, which begin on Saturday and run through Friday, Dec. 19. Florida's next game following Friday's will be on Sun., Dec. 21, when the Gators play host to 16th-ranked Pittsburgh.
Florida's nine-game win streak is the longest such run since the 2005-06 season, when the team reeled off 11 consecutive victories from Nov. 27 to Jan. 5th. The current nine-game run win streak includes three at away sites and a pair on a neutral court.
FAMU is the second consecutive opponent from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference the Gators are playing, having defeated Coppin State, 75-34, on Wednesday. On the flip side, Florida represents the first of back-to-back opponents on FAMU's schedule from the Southeastern Conference, as the Rattlers play at Alabama on Dec. 17.
Each of the Gators' first four opponents of the 2008-09 season were other teams from the Sunshine State. The Gators round-out their run against instate foes on Friday against Florida A&M. The Gators enter the game against the Rattlers sporting a 205-59 all-time record versus their fellow Sunshine State opponents.
Friday's contest will be the 11th all-time meeting between the Gators and Rattlers, with Florida holding a 6-4 edge that includes wins in the last three games. FAMU's last win in the series was on Feb. 10, 1986, when the Rattlers earned the 76-57 decision in Tallahassee. The teams didn't meet again for seven years following that outcome.
Quick Look at the Rattlers
FAMU hasn't played since its thrilling 58-57 victory over Bethune-Cookman on Dec. 6th - six days ago. The Rattlers assumed a 40-25 halftime lead, and held on as the Wildcats battled back and took the final shot of the game with two seconds remaining, but it rolled around the rim and fell out to give FAMU the victory in both team's MEAC opener and give first-year head coach LeDawn Gibson her debut conference win.
Senior Deidra Jones averages a team-best 15.2 points and 3.7 assists per game, along with 6 rebounds per contest. Against BCC, she totaled 16 points, nine rebounds and six assists.
Freshman Antonia Bennett has been a star during the early portion of the season, averaging 12.5 points, with a good portion of her shots connecting from behind the 3-point arc, where she is 10-of-23 (43.5%). Bennett tallied 24 points against BCC, hitting 4-of-7 from long range.
Senior Stephanie Foster also contributes 12 points per game, while junior Denise Tate collects a team-high 10 rebounds per contest.
Who's Hot?
In Florida's three games prior to the Dec. 10 Coppin State outing when she played just 14 minutes because of the lopsided score, Sha Brooks averaged 17.3 points, 5.0 assists and 2.0 steals per game, while converting all 18 of her free throw attempts.
She began the three-game run with a season- and game-high 25 points against No. 21/19 Arizona State in the championship game of the Junkanoo Jam, which included two free throws with seven seconds remaining to seal the upset victory. On the road at UAB, Brooks totaled 12 points that included the game-winner with five seconds remaining to lead the Gators. On Sunday at N.C. State, she scored a team-high 15 points and hit 9-of-9 from the free throw line, including four in the final 29 seconds to secure the five-point win.
Who Else is Hot?
Quietly controlling UF's inside game has been senior Marshae Dotson, who has tallied seven double-figure scoring games this year and has been the Gators' leading rebounder in six games.
Quick Dribble
*Florida sports a 9-1 record through its first 10 games, which is TIED for the BEST START through 10 games in the 35-year history of the program; only four times has the team posted a 10-1 record (2005-06, 2000-01, 1995-96 & 1984-85);
*Through games played on Dec. 7, Florida's 47.8 field goal percentage ranked as the SIXTH-highest in the nation;
*The Gators have shot at least 50 percent in five games this season, after doing so only twice all of last year;
*The 34 points UF's defense held Coppin State to on Dec. 10th, was the fewest by an opponent since holding Chicago State to 30 on Dec. 20, 2000. Coppin State's 34 points tied for the second-fewest ever by a Florida opponent in a game played in Gainesville;
*Friday's contest is the second of five consecutive home games for the Gators, who won't play on the road again until Jan. 3rd at Ohio University;
*The Gators sport a modest 12-game home winning streak versus non-conference opponents entering Friday's game against Florida A&M, including a 4-0 record this season;
*the most points Florida has allowed in a win this season is the 75 UAB posted during the Gators' thrilling 77-75 victory on Dec. 3;
*UF out-rebounded each of its first six opponents, but has been 'out-boarded' in each of the last two games an in three of the last four contests.
Gator Bytes Entering Friday's Game
*Sha Brooks has converted 18 consecutive free throws, the longest streak by a Gator this season (Sharielle Smith opened the year hitting 14 straight);
*Brooks also has played in 104 games, started 103, including 101 consecutive starts;
*Marshae Dotson's next point will be the 1,200th of her career ... Dotson has played in 104 games and has grabbed at least one rebound in every game and has scored in all but one game; Dotson topped the 700-rebound plateau on Dec. 7 at N.C. State;
*Sharielle Smith is 19 points shy of her 500th career point, entering today's game with 481; she has made 22-of-24 free throws this year (opened the season hitting 14 straight); during her career, Smith has converted 82.3 percent (107-130) of her free throws, which is the highest in program history;
*Freshman Trumae Lucas is averaging 8.0 points in the last three games, when she has topped her career-high point total each time, hitting 9-of-12 from the field overall and 3-of-3 from behind the arc ... scored a career-high 10 points against Coppin State (Dec. 10).
D-Fence! D-Fence!
Florida is limiting its opponents to a 34.9 percent shooting accuracy this season and has won the rebounding battle in seven of its 10 games, including each of its first six. The first time the Gators dropped the board battle was against Arizona State, which held the 33-32 edge, N.C. State took the rebound margin, 45-40, and Coppin State had the 35-34 advantage.
Off-Fence! Off-Fence!
Entering Friday's game against FAMU, the Gator offense is lighting up the scoreboard for 73.9 points per game, while shooting 48.2 percent from the field - the top percentage among all SEC teams this season (entering THIS week's stats)!
Doubling their Pleasure
NINE different Gators have tallied at least one double-figure scoring game this season: Sha Brooks (6), Marshae Dotson (7 games), Sharielle Smith (4), Jennifer Mossor (3), Aneika Henry (2), Steffi Sorensen (2), Ndidi Madu (1), Lonnika Thompson (1) and Trumae Lucas (1).
Game Day Information
What: No. Florida (9-1) hosts Florida A&M (4-2, 1-0 MEAC)
When: Friday, December 12, 2008 * 7 p.m.
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: LIVE streaming video thru www.GatorZone.com
Television: none
Post-Game Satellite Feed: 10:30-10:45 pm, ET
KU Band Digital Feed - Galaxy 17, Transponder 24K, Slot E
Downlink Freq.: 12187.5 Vertical ... Symbol Rate: 3.9787 ... Data Rate: 5.5 … FEC: 3/4 ... Sat Truck Trouble #: 352-392-8043
Tickets: Reserved Seating: $5 - All; General Admission: $4 - Adults, $2 - Seniors age 55 and older & Youth age 17 & under; FREE - UF Students with valid ID
SPECIAL TICKET PROMOTION: Fans who bring new or slightly used clothing or coats to donate to area organizations will receive free admission for them and a guest.
Parking: there is no charge or reserved section for parking in the O'Connell Center lot beginning at 3:30 p.m. on weekdays or on the weekend
Additional Game-Day Hoopla
Game Sponsor: KISS 105.3FM
Florida Women's Basketball Clothing Drive – Fans who bring new or slightly used clothing or coats to donate to area organizations will receive free admission for them and a guest.
Gator FunZone – Children can play on the bounce house and inflatable slide. There will also be a poster-making station and face-painters!
-UF-
