Women's Basketball Plays at No. 16 Kentucky on Thursday
Wednesday, February 17, 2010 | Women's Basketball
Florida continues its challenging final regular-season run, on Thursday, when the Gators travel to Lexington, Ky., to play the No. 16-ranked Kentucky Wildcats in Memorial Coliseum, with tip-off scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.
The Gators have lost their last two games, as well as three of their last four, all losses having been against nationally-ranked opponents (Vanderbilt, LSU and Tennessee), and look to get back on the winning track this week, as their daunting final stretch continues.
Kentucky sports a 15-0 home record this season and a 16-game home winning streak that dates back to last season. It is the third-longest home win streak in program history and is just three wins shy of tying for the second-longest run (19 games) that ran from Feb. of 1982 to Feb. of 1983.
The Gators have just four regular-season games remaining prior to the Southeastern Conference Tournament, and Thursday's game is one of two away outings during the final run.
Five of Florida's final six regular-season games are against teams ranked in the top-25 of the national polls. Following Thursday's game at No. 16 Kentucky, Florida hosts No. 19 Georgia on Feb. 21 and travels to No. 22 Vanderbilt on Feb. 24. The Gators end the regular season on Feb. 28, hosting Alabama, a team that handed them an 82-58 loss on Jan. 21 in Tuscaloosa.
Kentucky is the 10th of Florida's last 11 opponents that is at least receiving votes at game-time in the national polls. The Wildcats are No. 16 in this week's Associated Press and No. 16 ESPN-USA Today Coaches polls.
Both teams are coming off tough road losses played on Sunday, Feb. 14. Florida dropped an 83-44 decision at No. 5 Tennessee. The Gators trailing by six points at halftime, but the Lady Vols exploded out of the locker room and outscored the Gators, 49-16, in the second half. Kentucky actually led No. 22 Vanderbilt, 25-24, at halftime, before the Commodores outscored the Wildcats, 44-30 in the second period.
Nine of UF's 12 SEC games have been decided by single digits and the Gators are 6-3 in those tight league games.
Florida holds a slim 22-19 all-time lead against Kentucky, which sports a 10-9 advantage over the Gators in games played in Lexington. The Gators' most recent win in the series was last year's 74-59 victory in Gainesville on Jan. 29, 2009. Florida has won two of the last three meetings against Kentucky, but the Wildcats have taken three of the last five versus the Gators. The Gators' last victory over the Wildcats in Lexington was a 68-61 win on Feb. 5, 2006.
After posting a 9-3 non-conference record, Kentucky began its SEC slate 1-2, losing on the road in overtime to Georgia and by eight points to South Carolina. The Wildcats quickly regrouped and ripped off eight consecutive league victories that catapulted them into second place in the league standings. The team saw its run end on Valentine's Day, when the Wildcats lost a tough 68-55 decision at Vanderbilt.
One item that pops out when looking at Kentucky's cumulative stat sheet is the number of trips the Wildcats have made their way to the free throw line - 658 times! Kentucky has almost MADE more free throws than their opponents have ATTEMPTED from the charity stripe (474).
Junior forward Victoria Dunlap has been the anchor of UK's success this season, earning recognition three times as the SEC's Player of the Week, and is the league's fourth-leading scorer, third leading rebounder and overall leader for steals (3.2 pg). Dunlap leads the Wildcats in scoring (17.7 ppg), rebounding (8.7 rpg), blocked shots (46), steals (3.2 pg), field goal percentage (51.4%) and trips to the free throw line (176).
While Dunlap's presence in undeniable, six other Wildcats contribute at least six points per game, en route to producing the SEC's most potent offense, with 75.8 points per game.
“This is the best Kentucky team that we've every faced,” UF head coach Amanda Butler said. “They are playing ultra confident and are as athletic and physical as a team that we've played this year. Their record reflects those things. They have done a tremendous job this year. They have over 5,000 season ticket holders and will fill a gym that will be wearing mostly pink (as Thursday's game serves as Kentucky's participation in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association's 'Pink Zone' Initiative). We have to rebound and be ready for a tough game on Thursday.”
In the last five games, senior Steffi Sorensen (Jacksonville, Fla.) is averaging team-bests of 12.0 points and 6.8 rebounds, while hitting 45.9 percent (17-37) from the three-point arc.
Sorensen leads Florida in SEC games for scoring (9.4 ppg), rebounding (6.4 rpg), steals (17), three pointers (32) and three-point percentage (36.8%), while ranking second with 22 assists.
Sophomore center Azania Stewart (Wood Green, England) has a stress fracture in her left foot and was unable to play on Sunday at Tennessee. The time table for her return to the court has not been determined. Stewart, the Gators' tallest player at 6-foot-4, was UF's leading scorer in SEC games, while she ranked second in the conference in field with a 60.2 field goal percentage.
With the absence Stewart, freshman Jennifer George (Orlando, Fla.) has stepped up her game even more than already impressive rookie season has been. Stewart played just seven minutes against LSU and not at all at Tennessee. During those two games, George has been UF's leading rebounder (7.5 per game) and second-leading scorer while tied for the lead with 29.0 minutes played. She logged a career-long 32 minutes of action at Tennessee, collecting nine rebounds with four points against a much taller Lady Vol frontcourt.
The SEC standings are so close that just two games separates third-place Mississippi State (8-5) from ninth-place South Carolina (6-7).
Entering the games of Feb. 18, Florida, Ole Miss and LSU (6-6) are tied for sixth in the SEC standings, a half-game behind Georgia (7-6), one game back of fourth-place Vanderbilt (7-5) and a half-game in front of South Carolina.
Kentucky sits alone in second place in the SEC with a 9-3 record entering Thursday's games, one ahead of Mississippi State (9-2) and two behind SEC-leader Tennessee (11-1).
Kentucky head coach Matthew Mitchell was an assistant coach at Florida for three years (2000-03), serving under former head coaches Carol Ross and Carolyn Peck. The Gators were 51-36 during his three-year stay in Gainesville.
Game Day Information
What: Florida (13-12, 6-6 SEC) at No. 16 Kentucky (21-4, 9-3 SEC)
When: Thursday, February 18 * 7 p.m. ET
Where: Lexington, Ky. * Memorial Coliseum (8,500)
Radio: LIVE on WBXY-FM (The Star 99.5) in Gainesville with Steve Russell & Brittany Davis
Internet Audio: LIVE thru GatorZone.com (FREE of charge)
Streaming Online Video: none
Television: none
Post-Game Satellite Feed: TBA
Memorial Coliseum Press Row: 859-323-5900
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