Women's Hoops Hosts Auburn in Important SEC Game, Thursday at 7 pm
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 | Women's Basketball
Florida looks to build on its current two-game win streak when the team plays host to Auburn on Thursday in the O'Connell Center with tip-off scheduled for 7 p.m.
The first 250 fans will take home Gator beanies courtesy of Pepsi!
The game will be televised live on FOX Sports Florida (North/Central Florida territory) and SUN Sports (South Florida territory), with live streaming video available thru www.espn3.com, but subject to blackout in SEC Territory.
The radio broadcast can be heard live in Gainesville on WBXY-FM 99.5 “The Star”, with the streaming audio available thru www.GatorZone.com, FREE of charge.
Thursday's game will be the only regular-season meeting between the Gators and Tigers this year.
Florida earned two significant wins last week, helping the team get to an even 5-5 in the league standings. The Gator's 73-64 win at LSU marked their first against LSU in Baton Rouge since January of 1996. The 84-55 victory against Ole Miss was the team's largest margin of victory in an SEC game since a 38-point win versus South Carolina on Jan. 28, 2001.
The Tigers hold a 32-15 lead in the all-time series, including a 10-8 record in games played in Gainesville, where Florida's last win in the series occurred (71-68, Jan. 7, 2010). The Tigers have won six of the last eight games in the series, including last year's 73-56 decision on Jan. 6, 2011, in Auburn.
UF head coach Amanda Butler's fellow classmate during her four-year career as a Gator letterwinner was Kerry Cremeans, who is the associate head coach at Auburn. The two were backcourt mates from 1990-94, helping UF earn its first-ever NCAA Tournament bid their junior year and repeated the trip their final season. Cremeans also was an assistant coach at Florida during the 2003-04 season, when the Gators posted a 19-11 record and reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Florida has played 49 games over the last two-plus seasons with outcomes decided by 10 points or less, posting a 26-23 record in those tight ballgames. Eleven games fit into that category this year, with seven of UF's 10 SEC games this season have been decided by six points or less, with 8 of 10 by decided by single digits.
Senior Lanita Bartley averaged a team-best 14.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game in leading the Gators to two wins, including their first against LSU in Baton Rouge since January of 1996. Bartley was UF's leading scorer in both wins last week, scoring 14 at LSU and a game-high 17 points versus Ole Miss. Her 17 points against Ole Miss marked her 20th career double-figure scoring game. The Gator point guard collected a career-high-tying 10 rebounds against Ole Miss and posted the first double-double of her career.
Bartley hit 58.5 percent (10-17) of her shots from the floor, including 4-of-8 (50%) from the three-point arc. Entering the week, Bartley had averaged 8.3 points and 4.9 rebounds, while hitting 39.5 percent from the floor and connecting on only 9-of-28 three-pointers.
Junior forward Jennifer George continues to lead UF in scoring (12.7 ppg) and rebounding (9.1 rpg), an effort that also is tied for second in the SEC (SEC games, No. 3 for all games). She has posted 12 double-doubles this year - and 16 in her career – and has a team-high 16 double-figure scoring games.
Senior Jordan Jones has been doing a bit of everything for the Gators this year, contributing 12.2 points, in addition to 3.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.05 steals, while hitting 48-of-139 treys (34.8%). Jones had started 43 consecutive games prior to missing the Feb. 2 game at LSU because of a concussion she sustained during the Jan. 29 game at Arkansas.
Game Day Information
Florida Gators (15-8, 5-5 SEC) host the Auburn Tigers (11-13, 3-8 SEC)
Thursday, February 9, 2012 * 7 pm ET
Stephen C. O'Connell Center (11,373) - Gainesville, Fla.
Game Coverage & More!
Radio: LIVE in Gainesville on WBXY-FM 99.5 “The Star” called by Adam Schick and Brittany Davis
Internet Audio: LIVE thru www.GatorZone.com (FREE)
Internet Video: LIVE thru www.ESPN3.com (subject to blackout in SEC Territory)
Internet Stats: LIVE thru www.GatorZone.com (FREE)
Television: FOX Sports Florida (North/Central Florida territory) and SUN Sports (South Florida territory) with Larry Vettel & Mark Wise
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
*Every Gator who has suited up in the last 2 games has scored (5 times this yr)
*UF has played 49 games over the last two-plus seasons decided by 10 points or less; 11 this year
*7 of UF's 10 SEC games have been decided by 6 points or fewer, with 8 of 10 being decided by single digits
*Florida is ranked No. 32 in NCAA's RPI Rankings and has a strength of schedule rated No. 8 (last updated Feb. 5, released every Monday)
*Azania Stewart has blocked a shot in 22 consecutive games
*Jennifer George ranks No. 7 in the country in field goal percentage (56.9%) and double-doubles (12)
Additional Hoopla For Today's Game
Presenting sponsor: Verizon
*Champions of Character II: 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.
*Dance Marathon: All 16 Dance Marathon organizations are invited to attend game and receive 20 spirit points per person toward their organization. The organization with the highest attendance and with the highest percentage of attendance will receive a donation to the Children's Miracle Network in their name!
*Rowdy Reptile 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 2 to have their Gator 1's scanned and earn 4 points!
*Post-Game Autograph Session: Immediately following the game the Gators will be available to sign autographs for 30 minutes in the Gate 4 lobby.
*Gators/Pepsi Talent Showdown: The final round of the Gators/Pepsi Talent Showdown will take place at halftime. The winner will be determined by crowd applause. The grand prize winner will take home a X-Box 360 Kinect bundle with game and a $100 gift card to the Gator SportsShop; second place will win an ipod and third place will take home 5 cases of Pepsi product.
*Pepsi Beanie Giveaway: The first 250 fans will take home beanies courtesy of Pepsi!
