Women's Hoops Host Mississippi State on Sunday in PINK ZONE
Saturday, February 6, 2010 | Women's Basketball
Florida plays its second game during a three-game home stand, entertaining Mississippi State in the O'Connell Center on Super Bowl Sunday. Tip-off is schedule for 1 p.m. ET.
The extended stay in the friendly confines of the O'Connell Center didn't get off to the start the Gators wanted, as they dropped a 66-58 decision to Vanderbilt on Thursday. The eight-point loss was Florida's 11th game this season decided by fewer than 10 points. The Gators are 5-6 in those contests. Eight of UF's nine Southeastern Conference games have been decided by single digits, with the Gators 5-3 in those tight league games.
The SEC standings are so close, Florida fell from tied-for-third to tied-for-sixth after the loss to Vanderbilt. One game prior to that, the Gators jumped from sixth to tied-for-third place in the league race after winning at Ole Miss. Mississippi State is one of three SEC teams sporting a 6-4 league record entering the games of Feb. 7, sitting tied-for-third with Vanderbilt and Georgia. Florida and Ole Miss (5-4) are a half-game behind those three teams and a half-game in front of South Carolina (5-5).
Sunday's game is part of the WBCA's PINK ZONE, an initiative to bring awareness to breast cancer. Fans who wear pink to the game can purchase $1 general admission tickets.
Another special ticket promotion for Sunday's game includes “Family 4 Pack Sunday,” where fan cans purchase 4 general admission tickets, 4 hot dogs and 4 sodas for only $20. Fans also can log on to the women's basketball home page on www.GatorZone.com and print out a coupon for $1 general admission.
Sunday's game against Mississippi State marks the 12th consecutive year Florida has played on Super Bowl Sunday. The Gators sport a 7-9 all-time record when playing on Super Bowl Sunday, including a 4-2 mark at home; and are 5-3 when the team representing the AFC wins the title but 2-6 when the NFC team wins.
Sunday also is the second meeting this season between Mississippi State and Florida, with the Gators wining the Jan. 17 thriller in Starkville, 55-52. That outcome evened the 36-game series at 18-all. Florida has won the last two games against the Lady Bulldogs, including last year's 80-66 victory on Jan. 8, 2009, in Gainesville, where the Gators sport a 9-6 lead in the series.
Mississippi State senior Alexis Rack is the SEC's second-leading scorer overall and in conference games only, pouring in 19.4 and 18.9 points per game, respectively. Rack also averages an SEC-leading 3.8 three-pointers per game, converting at a steady 35.2 percent rate against league foes. Fellow senior Armelie Lumanu ranks third in the SEC with 8.6 rebounds per game, in addition to her 12.0 points per game outing. Junior Mary Kathryn Govero has stepped up her game during conference action and is MSU's second-leading scorer with 12.6 per game, hitting 21-61 from the three-point arc (34.4%) and 15-of-15 from the three-throw line.
“We can't spent too much time being disappointed about our loss to Vanderbilt because we have to be ready to host a Mississippi State team that is one of the most talented teams in our league,” Florida head coach Amanda Butler said. “They are going to come into Sunday's game with the sole purpose of beating us on our home floor as we did them.”
Sophomore Trumae Lucas came off the bench and scored seven points during an 8-2 run late in the game to spark Florida's 55-52 victory against Mississippi State on Jan. 17 at Humphrey Coliseum. Florida trailed by as many as six points, 38-32, with less than 12 minutes to go but rallied thanks to Lucas' heroics and hitting 6-of-8 free throws in the final 1:32 to seal the victory and improve to 10-8 overall and 3-2 in SEC action.
Sophomore center Azania Stewart is UF's leading scorer in SEC play, netting 10.2 points, hitting 53.3 percent from the floor and 87.5 percent from the free throw line (28-32). She also has swatted a team-best 24 shots in league action.
Sharielle Smith is UF's rebounding leader, with 6.2 per league outing, with Steffi Sorensen right behind with 6.1. The two also contribute 9.3 and 8.9 points per game, respectively, with both hitting identical 37.5 percentages from the three-point arc. Smith is 9-of-24 from long range, while Sorensen is 24-of-64 in SEC games.
In the last two games, Sorensen has hit 9-of-14 three-pointers for 64.3 percent, leading the Gators with 13.5 points over those pair of games. She also collected 12 rebounds (one shy of Smith's 13) and six assists. Smith is averaging 12.0 points with 6.5 rebounds over the last two games, knocking down 3-of-6 from beyond the arc and 60 percent overall from the floor (9-15). Stewart also has stepped up her game since UF's mid-week bye (Jan. 28), contributing 11.5 points and 5.0 rebounds, while blocking eight shots (tying a career-high five against Vanderbilt) and hitting 69.2 percent from the floor (9-13).
Mississippi State and Florida are two of the SEC's top three teams when it comes to made three-pointers per game. The Lady Bulldogs average 7.5 treys per outing, while the Gators sink 7.0 per game.
Individually, MSU's Alexis Rack has accounted for 86 of her team's 173 three-pointers, while Mary Kathryn Govero has dropped in 47.
Five different Gators have tallied at least 14 three-pointers, with Steffi Sorensen canning 52 and Jordan Jones nailing 42, as Florida has totaled 154 this year.
Game Day Information
What: Florida (12-10, 5-4 SEC) hosts Mississippi St. (15-8, 6-4 SEC)
When: Sunday, Feb. 7, 2010 * 1 p.m. ET
Where: Gainesville, Fla. * Stephen C. O'Connell Center (12,000)
Radio: LIVE on WBXY-FM (The Star 99.5) in Gainesville with Adam Schick & Brittany Davis
Internet Audio: LIVE thru GatorZone.com (FREE of charge)
GatorVision Online: LIVE thru GatorZone.com (fee-based, streaming video)
Television: LIVE on Sun Sports (COX Cable channel 48 in Gainesville) with Mick Hubert and Steve Russell
Post-Game Satellite Feed: 5-5:15 p.m. ET ... KU Band Digital Feed - Galaxy 17, Transponder 15, Slot C ... Downlink Freq.: 12004.5 Horizontal ... Symbol Rate: 3.9787 ... Data Rate: 5.5 ... FEC: 3/4 ...Trouble#: 352-392-8043
Tickets: $5 for Reserved Seats ... $4 for Adult General Admission ... $2 for Youth age 17 & under ... FREE for UF students; see below for special game-day ticket promotions
Additional Hoopla for Sunday's Game
• Gators Pink Zone – Breast Cancer Awareness Day, fans that wear pink to the game can purchase $1 general admission tickets. The American Cancer Society will be on hand with an information table.
• GatorZone.com $1 Admission Coupons – Fans can log on to the women's basketball page on GatorZone.com to print out a coupon for $1 general admission
• Family 4 Pack Sunday – Fan cans purchase 4 general admission tickets, 4 hot dogs, and 4 sodas for only $20!
• Gator FunZone – Children can enjoy the poster-making station, games and face-painters!
• Gator Women's Basketball Alumni Night – All former Florida Women's Basketball players have been invited to the game.
• Verizon Wireless Rowdy Reptile Giveaway – The first 500 fans will receive a beanie hat courtesy of Verizon Wireless.
• Girl Scout Day – All area Girl Scouts have been invited to attend for free admission RSVP to Nicole Addazio (nicolea@gators.uaa.ufl.edu or 800-34-GATOR ext. 6600). The first 150 to RSVP will receive Gator Women's Basketball badges.
• Child Safety Day – The Gainesville Police and Fire Departments will be on-site to finger-print children and will set-up demonstrations on child safety.
• 4-H Day – All members will receive free admission with valid ID card. There will be project displays set up between Gates 3 and 4. Members that RSVP by Friday, February 5 to Nicole Addazio (nicolea@gators.uaa.ufl.edu or 800-34-GATOR ext. 6600) will receive a free hotdog and soda.
• KTK-Gainesville Sun Gator Kids Club Day – The first 50 members who RSVP to Nicole Addazio (nicolea@gators.uaa.ufl.edu or 800-34-GATOR ext. 6600) will receive a free hot dog and soda plus a Gator Gameday kit!
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