Florida WBB Opens SEC Play Thursday Hosting Ultimate Doubleheader
Wednesday, January 7, 2009 | Women's Basketball
The University of Florida women's basketball team has been involved with four doubleheaders during the regular season, but Thursday night in the O'Connell Center will showcase the ultimate back-to-back event for Gators fans.
Having wrapped up the non-conference portion of its regular-season schedule, No. 18 Florida turns its undivided attention to Southeastern Conference action, which opens league-wide Thursday.
The Gators play host to Mississippi State (12-2), with tip-off moved to 5 p.m. so not to conflict with fans who also want to watch the Gator football team battle Oklahoma in the FedEx BCS National Championship football game that is slated to kick-off at 8:17 p.m. Immediately following the basketball game, the O'Connell Center will become one of three places on campus open to fans wanting to watch the football game. Four large video screens will broadcast the gridiron Gators inside the O'Connell Center.
"Thursday is obviously going to be a special day for all Gators, having an opportunity to come out and see us play and then following that up with the football team playing for a national championship that night," said Gator head coach Amanda Butler, a UF graduate herself. "There's going to be a lot of excitement kicking off the SEC season and I know that our players will be ready.
"As an SEC competitor, this is the most fun time of the season," Butler continued. "You hope to see your intensity level elevate in practice an on the floor. We have a huge test on Thursday against Mississippi State. I think they are probably one of the best teams in the SEC and one of the best teams that get the least amount of recognition for being one of the best teams in the SEC."
Florida enters Thursday's game riding a program-record 14-game winning streak. The Gators eclipsed the previous win-streak mark in its 75-56 victory over Miami (Ohio) on December 30th in the State Farm Classic championship game. The Gators also sport a nine-game home win streak, which includes an 8-0 record this season in the O'Connell Center, where the run is tied for the fourth-longest in program history.
Mississippi State opened the 2008-09 season winning its first 11 games to tie the program record for the best start in its history. The tight 80-73 loss to then-No. 15 Maryland in College Park halted the run.
"The toughest thing about Mississippi State is that they are just as athletic and just as aggressive as we are, individually and as a whole," Butler shared. "That's going to pose a tremendous challenge for us because we always feel like we have a little bit of an edge in that we're going to be the most aggressive team on the floor and that's going to be tough for us to be more aggressive than Mississippi State. That's their style of play, too. The key for us is to play just as aggressively as we always do, but we have to play a smart ball game, we have to be sharp, precise and we have to do everything with a purpose."
Florida and Mississippi State both average 76 points per game, which is tied for the second most in the SEC this season. Only Auburn - UF's next opponent - lights up the scoreboard more frequently, tallying 81 points per outing.
The Gators and Lady Bulldogs rank within a couple of places of each other in most of the SEC statistical rankings, with the exception of defense. Mississippi State allows just 53.1 points per game (fourth in the SEC and No. 16 nationally), while Florida's opponents are scoring 60.6 points per game (11th in the SEC and No. 121 nationally). MSU also is forcing its opponents into committing an average of 22.5 turnovers per game.
The Lady Bulldogs are limiting their opponents to a 34.2 percent shooting rate, a defensive stat that ranks No. 2 in the SEC and No. 16 in the nation. On the flip side, the Gators are making 47.1 percent of their shots, the second-best mark in the SEC and the seventh-highest in the country (thru games played Jan. 4).
Junior guard Alexis Rack has been MSU's steady offensive leader, scoring 14.2 points to lead the very balanced high-powered attack. More than half of her field goals have been from behind the 3-point arc, where she has hit 36-of-112 for 32.1 percent. Rack also dishes a team-leading 4.8 assists per game (No. 3 in the SEC), while collecting 25 steals.
Joining Rack atop the stat sheet is the pair of junior college transfers, both of whom are natives of Kinshasa, Congo. Armelie Lumanu is contributing 13.0 points and a team-high 6.4 rebounds, while collecting a team-best 3.0 steals (tied for No. 1 in the SEC) and 49 assists. Chanel Mokango has used her 6-foot-5 frame to score 11.4 points, grab 5.4 rebounds and block an SEC-leading 42 shots (3.0 per game, No. 8 in nation). Mokango has shown great range with her shot, connecting on 34.8 percent (8-23) from behind the 3-point arc. Also scoring at least seven points per game includes Mary Kathryn Govero, who adds 8.4 ppg and scored 12 points in last year's game vs. UF, Tysheka Grimes, who tallied 7.5 points this year and tagged UF for 18 points last season, and Robin Porter, who is averaging 7.1 points and also scored 18 points against the Gators in the last meeting.
"There are some great match-ups," Butler said. "They have very, very talented guards. Their guard core has everything. They have one of the best shooters in the conference, maybe the best penetrator in the conference and have one of the best mid-range players in the conference so there are a lot of defensive challenges and we really have to know personnel."
Seniors Sha Brooks (Jackson, Tenn.) and Marshae Dotson (Columbus, Ohio) have been Florida's offensive leaders. They are the only two Gators averaging a double-figure scoring effort, leading UF's potent and very balanced attack. Brooks leads the team in scoring (13.4 ppg), assists (59), free throws made (56) and free throws attempted (68), while ranking second in steals (23). In addition to 11.7 points per game, Dotson leads UF in field goal percentage (59.0%) and offensive rebounds (50), while ranking second in rebounds per game (7.1 pg).
Junior Sharielle Smith (Bradenton, Fla.) quietly has overtaken Dotson for the rebounding lead, collecting three more for a 7.3 per-game average, while adding 9.3 points per game and hitting 90.0 percent from the free throw line (36-40). Smith has notched two double-doubles in the last three games, most recently a 12-point, 11-rebound effort at Ohio University.
Jennifer Mossor (Orlando, Fla.) led the Gators in their 74-56 win at Ohio University on Jan. 3rd, scoring 19 points on 8-of-16 shooting, including a 3-of-4 effort from long range. Against the Bobcats, Steffi Sorensen (Jacksonville, Fla.) contributed 14 points for the second straight game and continues to headline UF's 3-point arsenal, as she connected on 4-of-7 to increase her season totals to 34-of-77 (45.5%).
Saturday's win over Ohio improved Florida's overall record to 14-1, the best start through 15 games in the 35-year history of the program.
Game Day Information
What: Florida (14-1, 0-0 SEC) hosts Mississippi State (12-2, 0-0 SEC)
When: Thursday, January 8, 2009 * 5 p.m.
Where: Gainesville, Fla. * Stephen C. O'Connell Center (12,000)
Radio: LIVE on WBXY-FM (99.5 FM in Gainesville) with Tom Collett & Mark Wise
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 F … Downlink Freq.: 12187.5 Vertical ... Symbol Rate: 3.9787 ... Data Rate: 5.5 … FEC: 3/4 ... Sat Truck Trouble #: 352-392-8043
Tickets/Admission (SPECIAL EVENT): FREE admission for all BEFORE 5:30 p.m.; after 5:50 p.m., fans must have a GATOR 1 card for entrance; Gates open at 4 p.m.
-UF-
