Florida Gators
St. Mary's Health Syst Classic
Butler tells Gators 'don't be satisfied' in final shootaround before facing No. 1-ranked Baylor
Tuesday, March 20, 2012 | Women's Basketball, Women's Tennis, Scott Carter
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio -- The Gators women's basketball team is going through its final shootaround before facing No. 1-ranked Baylor tonight at 7:05 here at the Stroh Center.
Once they finish up here in about 30 minutes, the Gators will return to the team hotel for a few hours of rest and then hop on the bus back to the arena about 5:30.
The game is live on ESPN2.
The dominant storyline entering the game is Baylor's quest to keep its undefeated season alive behind All-American center Brittney Griner and potentially become the first college basketball team -- men's or women's -- to win 40 games in a season.
The Bears (35-0) are five away but the Gators (20-12) don't plan to step aside and clear the path to Denver for Griner and her teammates.
Florida guard Jaterra Bonds isn't fazed by all the talk about Baylor's championship drive.
“Honestly, since I've been here, we have been the underdog,'' Bonds said. “I feel like no one respects us, so we have to go out there and take the respect.”
It's safe to say that if the Gators pulled the upset tonight, it would be considered perhaps the biggest win in school history.
The Gators are 0-9 all-time against No. 1-ranked teams and beating the Bears on this stage would give the program some national headlines like never before.
As practice closed, Butler made sure to get one final message across to the Gators.
"Don't be satisfied,'' she said. "Don't be satisfied with what we've done up to here."
A couple of notes leading up to the game:
--The most notable signee in Butler's 2012 signing class, forward/center Sydney Moss of Florence, Ky., is attending tonight's game. Moss averaged 22.9 points and 11.8 rebounds as a junior at Boone County High and is a three-time selection for first-team All-State. Moss also inherited some exceptional athletic genes. Her father, NFL receiver Randy Moss, is planning a return to the NFL next season after recently signing with the San Francisco 49ers.
--The Gator Backcourt Club, the official booster club for Florida women's basketball, is hosting a Watch Party at Ballyhoo's in Gainesville. The club invites anyone who is interested to come on out. For more information, here is the club's contact info.
