Florida Comes Home to the O’Connell Center to Host Wisconsin Wednesday at 7 p.m.
Tuesday, December 9, 2014 | Women's Basketball
The Florida Gator women's basketball team (5-3) returns to the Stephen C. O'Connell Center on Wednesday, Dec. 10 at 7 p.m. to host the Wisconsin Badgers (2-5).
Coming off two-straight road losses, the Gators will return to their home arena Wednesday night, where they are a perfect 4-0 this season. The matchup between the two schools will be aired live on the SEC Network.
Wednesday's contest marks just the third meeting all-time between the two squads, with Wisconsin holding a 2-0 series lead. The Gators and Badgers met last in the Virgin Islands on Nov. 25, 2001, when No. 23-ranked Wisconsin downed the No. 12 Gators, 61-49. Vanessa Hayden led the Gators with a double-double, netting a team-high 22 points and 13 rebounds.
The Badgers will play their first-ever game at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center Wednesday, and enter the matchup having lost their first two road contests this season.
Quotes from the Court:
Florida Head Coach Amanda Butler
On scouting Wisconsin:
“They are coming off a real big win against Marquette, a convincing win. They have great size and good balance. They have suffered a little bit of adversity as well by losing one of their important players to an ACL, which is something we all hate to see here in our sport. They are well-coached. Bobbie [Kelsey] spent some time here as a Gator during her coaching time, so she is someone we know will have her team ready to play. She is very familiar with the environment. Their size is something we will have to worry about and prepare for. They have played a really, really tough schedule and they are coming off a very, very big win. So, I think it's a team that is battle tested and feeling good, so we are going to have to respond in the right ways.”
Stat Watch:
· Florida continues to shoot an impressive percentage from behind the three-point line, entering tonight's game ranking second in the SEC with a 36.9% clip from downtown (41-for-111). On the flip side, Wisconsin also has excelled from behind the arc, ranking third in the Big Ten, making 37.9% of its shots (36-for-95).
Last Time Out:
· Florida fell to 1-3 on the road with its 77-51 loss to Florida State.
· Freshman Brooke Copeland sunk two threes and finished tied for the team lead with nine points, the first time in her young career to accomplish that feat.
Making it Rain:
· The Gators sit atop the SEC rankings in free throw percentage (.751) and second in field goal percentage (.478). UF ranks second in three-point field goal percentage (.369) and is fifth in the league, averaging 74.5 points per game.
Toeing the Line of Perfection:
· Florida maintained its top seat in free throw percentage after converting 12-of-17 (.706) attempts at Florida State. The Gators are now at .751 (127-for-169) from the line on the season.
Tale of the Tape:
· In winning five of its eight contests, Florida boasts a +9.9 scoring margin, outscoring its opponents by an average of 74.5 to 64.6.
Double-Double Debut:
· Redshirt senior Kayla Lewis notched the first Gator double-double of the season at Savannah State, bucketing 12 points and pulling down 10 boards. Lewis now has 13 career double-doubles and has recorded points in double-figures in five consecutive games.
Consistency From the Floor:
· Despite a 5-3 record, Florida has netted a better shooting percentage from the field than its opponent in seven of the team's eight games.
Wisconsin (2-5) at Florida (5-3)
Stephen C. O'Connell Center (11,548)
Gainesville, Fla.
Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2014 * 7 p.m. ET
Game Notes (PDF):
· Florida: http://www.gatorzone.com/basketball/women/stats/notes/pre/20141210190000.pdf
· Wisconsin: http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/wis/sports/w-baskbl/auto_pdf/2014-15/release/release.pdf
Game Coverage and More!
· Radio: LIVE on ESPN850 (WRUF-AM) in Gainesville with Adam Schick, Brittany Davis & Jennifer George
· Internet Audio: LIVE through www.GatorZone.com (FREE)
· Television: SEC Network with Carolyn Peck & Paul Sunderland
· Internet Video: http://espn.go.com/watchespn/index/_/id/2169503/NCAA-Womens-College-Basketball-Wisconsin-vs-Florida
· Internet Scoring: http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=65550
Promotions:
· Tacky Holiday Sweater T-Shirt Giveaway – The first 500 fans receive a Florida women's basketball-themed tacky holiday sweater T-shirt.
· High-Five Tunnel – Kids 12 & under have the opportunity to high-five the Gators as they enter the court.
· Toys for Tots – Fans who donate a new, unused toy to Toys for Tots receive free admission to the game,
· De-Stress Zone – Students can relax and prepare for upcoming finals by enjoying free coffee and donuts and playing some stress-relieving games.
· Bring a Friend Night – Those who picked up a voucher at the Dec. 1 game vs. Virginia Tech can redeem it for free admission to the Wisconsin game; remaining vouchers will be handed out for free admission to the Dec. 21 game vs. Southern University.
Opening Tip:
· The Gators are 0-2 all-time against Wisconsin and will play their first game against the Badgers under head coach Amanda Butler.
· The last meeting between the Gators and Badgers occurred in the Virgin Islands on Nov. 25, 2001, when the No. 23-ranked Wisconsin Badgers downed the No. 12 Gators, 61-49.
· Tonight marks Wisconsin's first visit to Gainesville and the Stephen C. O'Connell Center.
For all of the latest information on Florida women's basketball:
Official Website: www.gatorzone.com/basketball/women
Facebook: www.facebook.com/FloridaWomensBasketball
Twitter: @GatorZoneWBK and @CoachButlerUF
Instagram: @gatorzonewbk
