Gators Host #18/15 Georgia on Senior Day, Play4Kay 3:30 pm ET
Saturday, February 18, 2012 | Women's Basketball
Florida must find a way to regroup quickly from Thursday's heartbreaking overtime loss at Vanderbilt, as nationally-ranked Georgia visits the O'Connell Center on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. It will be another Family 4Pack Sunday, when 4 general admission tickets, 4 hot dogs, and 4 sodas are only $20!
The game will be televised live nationally on ESPNU, while the radio broadcast can be heard live in Gainesville on WBXY-FM 99.5 “The Star” and 104.9-FM and in Jacksonville on AM930 WFXJ. The audio can be heard on the internet thru www.GatorZone.com, the official website of the Florida Gators. Live streaming video is available via www.ESPN3.com.
Fans will be welcome to stay after the game when the Gators salute their five seniors: Jordan Jones, Ndidi Madu, Azania Stewart, Lanita Bartley and Deana Allen.
While nine of Florida's 13 SEC games have been decided by six points or less this year, Thursday's 75-69 overtime loss at Vanderbilt may have been the most heartbreaking. The Commodores' Christina Foggie launched a 'Hail Mary' at the buzzer that hit the backboard, all sides of the rim and somehow dropped in and tied the game and sent the game to overtime. It was discovered too late, however, that the game clock did not run during the final 75 seconds for almost 14 seconds.
Florida has just three games remaining on its regular-season schedule and it's quite a final run, as two of its opponents sit ahead of the Gators in the SEC standings: Feb. 19 host #18/15 Georgia; Feb. 23 host Mississippi State and Feb. 26 at #13 Tennessee.
The Gators have won three of their last five games, as well as five of their last nine. Florida has lost those four games by a combined total of 15 points and all four of those setbacks have come on the road, with three against nationally ranked opponents (at Kentucky, at South Carolina and at Vanderbilt in OT) and the third in double-overtime versus now-ranked Arkansas.
The 59-game series against Georgia is the second-longest for Florida, trailing only the 68 match-ups versus instate rival Florida State. Georgia holds a commanding 46-13 lead in the 59-game series against Florida, including a 19-9 record in games played in Gainesville. Sunday will be the second meeting this season between Florida and Georgia, which claimed the 61-55 decision in Athens on Jan. 12th.
Last year, the teams split the two regular-season games, each winning on its home court with Georgia taking the 70-64 decision on Jan. 16 in Athens, before Florida earned the 74-71 win on Feb. 27 in Gainesville.
After playing nine consecutive games decided by double-figures (eight in favor of the Dawgs), the last six in the series have been single-digit affairs, with two of those Gator wins.
Florida has played 51 games over the last three seasons with outcomes decided by 10 points or less, posting a 26-25 record in those tight ballgames. 13 games fit into that category this year, when UF has posted a 4-9 record. 9 of UF's 13 SEC games this season have been decided by six points or less, with 10 of 13 by decided by single digits.
Florida is 1-5 this year against Associated Press nationally-ranked opponents, and 1-6 versus teams ranked in the ESPN-USA Today Coaches Poll at tip-time (Vanderbilt was receiving votes in the AP poll, but No. 24 in Coaches Poll).
Over the last five games, Lanita Bartley has averaged 12.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.6 steals. She converted 51.2 percent (22-43) overall from the floor, including a 50.0 percent (7-14) from the three-point arc. In three of the last five games, Bartley has tallied a career-high three three-point field goals. The Gator point guard collected a career-high-tying 10 rebounds against Ole Miss (Feb. 5) and posted the first double-double of her career.
Junior forward Jennifer George continues to lead UF in scoring (12.8 ppg) and rebounding (9.1 rpg), an effort that also is second in the SEC (in SEC games and all games). She has posted 13 double-doubles this year - and 17 in her career. George recently compiled a streak of eight consecutive double-doubles, a run that ranked tied as the fourth-longest in UF history. The run ended at Georgia on Jan. 12, when she posted 15 points with eight rebounds.
Senior Jordan Jones has been doing a bit of everything for the Gators this year, contributing 11.3 points, in addition to 3.9 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.1 steals, while hitting 51-of-152 treys (33.6%). During her two-plus-year tenure at UF, Jones has drained 178 three-pointers, the fourth most in a career (third is 212 by Sha Brooks, 2005-09), as well as 275 overall.
Senior Deana Allen has provided Florida with a definite spark off the bench in every game she's played this year, averaging 8.1 points (fifth on team) and 5.2 rebounds (tied for second on team), with 1.6 steals (second on the team). She hits 34.1 percent from the three-point arc (the third-highest on the team) and 72.2 percent from the free throw line (highest percentage).
Game Day Information
Florida Gators (16-10, 6-7 SEC) host the #18/15 Georgia Lady Bulldogs (20-6, 9-4 SEC)
Sunday, February 19, 2012 * 3:30 pm ET
Stephen C. O'Connell Center (11,373) - Gainesville, Fla.
Game Coverage & More!
Radio: LIVE on WBXY-FM 99.5 “The Star” and 104.9-FM in Gainesville and AM930 WFXJ in Jacksonville called by Adam Schick and Brittany Davis
Internet Audio: LIVE thru www.GatorZone.com (FREE)
Internet Video: LIVE on www.ESPN3.com
Television: LIVE on ESPNU (in Gainesville on COX Cable Ch. 251) with Clay Matvick and Maria Taylor
Tickets: $5 for reserved seats; $4 adult general admission; $2 for youth age 17 and under; FREE for UF and Santa Fe students
Parking: FREE in the O'Connell Center parking lot
Opening Tip
*Breast Cancer Awareness: Teams will be wearing pink shoestrings, warm-ups and uniforms in support of “Play4Kay” - a breast cancer awareness initiative
*UF has played 51 games over the last three seasons decided by 10 points or less; 13 this year
*9 of UF's 13 SEC games have been decided by 6 points or fewer, with 10 of 13 being decided by single digits
*Florida is ranked No. 37 in NCAA's RPI Rankings and has a strength of schedule rated No. 11 (last updated Feb. 12, released every Monday)
*Azania Stewart has blocked a shot in 25 consecutive games
*Jennifer George ranks No. 8 in the country in field goal percentage (56.0%) and No. 6 for double-doubles (13)
Additional Hoopla For Today's Game
Presenting sponsor: Pepsi
*Senior Night: Join the Gators as they honor their five seniors… Jordan Jones, Ndidi Madu, Azania Stewart, Lanita Bartley and Deana Allen with a post-game ceremony accompanied by career highlight videos!
*Family 4 Pack Sunday: 4 general admission tickets, 4 hot dogs, and 4 sodas for only $20!
*Scout Day: All area scouts have been sent a coupon for the opportunity to purchase Buy One Get One free general admission tickets.
*BEAT UGA Giveaway: The first 1,000 fans will receive a BEAT GEORGIA dri-fit shirt courtesy of Pepsi!
*Champions of Character III: Elementary and middle schools in Alachua, Marion, Columbia, Bradford and Putnam counties are invited to one of a three select games. Students and faculty/staff will receive free admission voucher with a barcode. Each school is allowed to select up to 10 outstanding students to be recognized at halftime.
*Rowdy Reptiles Check-In: This game has been designated a Rowdy Reptiles check-in event. Students with a valid Gator 1 I.D. should report to Gate 3 to have their Gator 1's scanned and earn 4 points!
*Alligator Alley: Prior to the game (2 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.) fans can swing by the O'Connell Center's Dance Studio to make signs, play interactive games and more!
*Post-Game Autograph Session: Immediately following the game the Gators will be available to sign autographs in the Gate 4 lobby.
*Future Farmers of America Day: All area Future Farmers of America in the area have been sent a coupon for the opportunity to purchase Buy One Get One free general admission tickets.
*Pee Wee Basketball: Teams from Gainesville's A Girl's Place will play at halftime. Prior to the game the players will be invited to make a tunnel for the women's basketball team as they take the court at 4:00 minutes on the clock.
*National Anthem: The National Anthem will be performed by the University of Florida All-Saxophone Festival Orchestra.
