Gators Face Nationally-Ranked Mizzou on Road Sunday

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Florida begins a challenging two-game road trip against two of the hotter teams in the SEC. The adventure starts Sunday versus Missouri in Columbia.

Tip-off from Mizzou Arena is set for 2 p.m. ET (1 p.m. CT).

SEC Network will provide live television coverage of the game, with live streaming video available through the WatchESPN app and through www.SECNetwork.com, with Jenn Hildreth and DeLisha Milton-Jones calling the action.

Preseason Picks

Florida was voted by the league's coaches and media to finish 12th in the 14-team league.
Missouri was selected sixth by the coaches and seventh by the media.

The Series vs. Missouri

4-Game Series: Missouri leads 4-0
UF Home: 0-2; Away: 0-3; Neutral: 0-0
The Tigers have won all four meetings in the series, including both played in Columbia.
While the first two games between the two teams were decided by five points, both of last year's games were double-digit affairs.

Where We've Been

Florida is coming off a three-game homestand with a 2-1 record, dropping the opener to Georgia before regrouping for wins over LSU and Alabama.
The Gators defeated Tennessee, which defeated Missouri ... and Missouri has defeated Mississippi State and Georgia - both teams that have defeated Florida.
Missouri has dropped two heartbreaking road decisions, first at Arkansas (which was named the NCAA's Team of the Week) and most recently an overtime setback at No. 12/13 Texas A&M.

Good to Be Back!

Florida was ranked No. 20 in the January 11, 2016 Associated Press national poll.
This was the team's first top-25 ranking since being No. 22 in the final poll of the 2008-09 season.
After splitting results last week with a loss to Georgia and win against LSU, Florida fell to No. 22 in the AP poll and No. 23 in the coaches poll.

Gators as a Ranked Team

UF is 153-78 all-time (2-1 this year) playing as a ranked team
44-37 record when playing on an away court (0-0 this year)
Prior to this season, the last game UF played as a ranked team: March 24, 2009 at No. 1 Connecticut (L, 87-59) in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Ranked Gators vs. Ranked Opponent

Sunday's game against No. 23 Missouri will be UF's first game playing as a ranked team facing a ranked foe since March 24, 2009, when No. 22 UF lost at No. 1 UConn, 87-59, in the NCAA Second Round.
It's the first time playing a regular season game since Feb. 12, 2009, when No. 9 UF lost at No. 24 Vanderbilt, 84-68.
Overall Record: 36-40 (0-0 this year)
Record on Away Court: 9-16 (0-0 this year)

Florida vs. Ranked Teams

UF is 2-1 this year against ranked teams.
- Defeated No. 6/7 Florida State, 82-72
- Lost to No. 8 Mississippi State, 76-70
- Defeated No. 12/11 Tennessee, 74-66
LAST YEAR: The Gators were 1-5 vs. ranked teams during the 2014-15 season.

A Gator Win on Sunday would ...

Be the third-best 20-game start in program history, trailing only the 18-2 record of the 2008-09 and the 2000-01 clubs.
Be UF's first ever against Missouri.
Improve UF's overall away record to 6-1 this season, including 3-0 in the SEC

What's Next?

Florida continues its road trip in Fayetteville, Arkansas, where the Gators and red-hot Razorbacks square off on Thursday, January 28 at 8 p.m. ET.

Looking Back: Florida defeated Alabama, 80-72 (Thursday, January 21)

Despite a season-high 36 turnovers, Florida dominated the glass and shot a season-best 54.2 percent from the field to cap its three-game homestand with an 80-72 victory over Alabama on Thursday in the O'Connell Center.
UF outrebounded Alabama, 40-25, leading to a 16-3 edge in second-chance points.
Even with its turnover issues, Florida still outscored the Crimson Tide, 33-29, in points off turnovers, as its defense created 29 miscues.
Freshman Eleanna Christinaki led the Gators with 16 points and four assists. Junior Ronni Williams had the most efficient night, scoring 13 points on 6-of-9 shooting. Fellow junior Simone Westbrook broke out of her shooting funk to the tune of 11 points, six rebounds, four assists and four steals.
Florida squandered a 21-point lead (44-23), as turnovers got the Gators and Alabama took full advantage, stampeding back to take a 57-56 lead with 2:31 remaining in the third. Cassie Peoples answered the run with a three, putting UF back on top.
From there, two ties and three lead changes ensued. Two Christinaki free throws gave Florida the lead for the final time, as it closed the game on a 15-3 run over the final 6:17 of regulation.
Florida's 36 turnovers matched the third-highest single-game total in program history
The last time UF committed 35-plus turnovers: Dec. 3, 1988 vs. Mississippi College (program-record 41)
For only the second time in school history, the Gators won a game in which they committed 33-plus turnovers
The 36 turnovers set a new UF record for most in a home game, passing the 34 miscues against South Carolina on Dec. 1, 1979

Gator Watch

Ronni Williams, a preseason Second Team All-SEC performer, is UF's leading scorer (10.7 ppg) and rebounder (7.6 pg).
In SEC games, Williams is nearly averaging a double-double: 10.7 points and 9.5 rebounds per game.
Williams ranks No. 3 in the SEC for rebounding in league games
She has recorded six double-doubles this season (11 in career), including three straight during early November
She became the first Gator to record three consecutive double-doubles since Jennifer George posted four in a row from Dec. 4-20, 2012.

Threading the Needles

Through six SEC games, senior Carlie Needles is UF's third-leading scorer in league contests at 8.7 points per game despite not scoring against Alabama
In SEC games:
- >> 10-of-30 three-pointers (30.0%)
- >> 45.2% FG (19-42)
- >> 11 assists and 10 steals

Rookie Review

Eleanna Christinaki is the only true freshman on the Gator squad and has made quite an impact!
She has been in the starting lineup since the third game of the season.
Has scored in double-figures in 9 of the last 12 games (entering Missouri)
Has 11 double-figure scoring games - tied for the most on the team
Is UF's assists leader
Has been UF's leading game scorer six times
Has been UF's leading rebounder twice
Has been UF's assists leader in a team-best 10 games
TWICE named the SEC Freshman of the Week (Dec. 8-14 and Jan. 5-11)
Just missed a triple-double vs. UCF (Dec. 30) - 14 points, 10 rebounds, 9 assists
at Tennessee (in first SEC road game): game-high 18 points, game-high 8 assists with 6 rebounds
Completed a 'career triple-double' with 10 assists at Ole Miss (Jan. 10) ... had 10 rebounds vs. UCF (Dec. 30) and first double-digit scoring game was 13 points vs. Florida State (Nov. 16)

Lovin' Lorenzen

It's been everything EXCEPT a "sophomore slump" for Haley Lorenzen
UF's fourth-leading scorer and second-leading rebounder
this year has been UF's leading scorer in 3 games (tied for the most on the team)
Has been UF's leading rebounder in a game three times (second-most on the team)
Scored in a team-leading 47 consecutive games
Six double-figure scoring games -(tied for fourth-most on the team)
Earned MVP honors at the Omni Hotels Classic, Nov. 27-28 in Colorado, where she compiled 26 points (12-17), 16 rebounds, 4 steals

STOP! THIEF! Wait - no, don't stop!

Junior newcomer Simone Westbrook is a huge reason why the Gators lead the SEC in steals (all games & SEC games) this season.
The crafty guard leads the team in thefts and ranks No. 1 in the league (all games) for steals (No. 2 in SEC games)!
Westbrook has had at least one steal in every game except one (vs. Arkansas State).
She's had a career-high six steals in four games this year.
UF has posted 10-plus steals in all but two games this season.
UF has at least 10 steals in each of the last 11 games (entering Missouri game)

Florida's DEPTH at a Glance!

On the 13-player roster...
10 Gators average at least 13 minutes of playing time per game
9 Gators average at least 6.0 points per game
11 Gators have made at least one three-pointer (Fleming and Lorenzen have never attempted a three-pointer).
11 have started at least one game during their respective Gator careers (Dimaite and Young have not), while 10 of the 13 have started at least once this season.
7 have been UF's leading scorer in a game
7 have been UF's leading rebounder in a game this season

Balance, too!

UF ranks No. 8 in the nation in scoring offense (82.1 ppg), however, the team's leading scorer - Ronni Williams - averages just 10.7 points per game.
Freshman Eleanna Christinaki averages 10.6 per game - while senior Cassie Peoples and sophomore Haley Lorenzen are close behind at 10.2 and 9.5 per game, respectively.

Game Day at a Glance

Who: #22/23 Florida (16-3, 4-2 SEC) at #23/rv Missouri (15-4, 2-4 SEC)
Where: Mizzou Arena (15,061) * Columbia, Mo.
When: Sun., January 24, 2016 * 2 p.m. ET (1 p.m. CT)

Game Notes (PDF):

Game Coverage & More!

Radio: LIVE on ESPN Gainesville (95.3 FM and 850 AM) with Adam Schick & Brittany Davis
Internet Audio: LIVE thru FloridaGators.com (FREE)
TV: SEC Network with Jenn Hildreth & DeLisha Milton-Jones
Internet Video: WatchESPN app & SECNetwork.com
Internet Scoring: (FREE) thru FloridaGators.com

We Back Pat

The annual week-long celebration of legendary Tennessee head coach Pat Summitt - named "We Back Pat" spans from Sun., January 17 through Mon., January 25.
Players from both teams in today's game will be wearing special "We Back Pat" shooting shirts and the coaching staffs will wear the color purple and Alzheimer awareness pins.
The conference initiative is helping promote awareness of The Pat Summitt Foundation which is partnering with the UT Medical Center to create the Pat Summitt Alzheimer's Clinic
#WeBackPat

Opening Tip

This is just the third game in program history Florida is playing in the state of Missouri and both games have been against the Tigers.
Missouri is 4-0 all-time vs. the Gators
Two of UF's four SEC wins this year have come on the road ... Four of UF's five SEC wins last year came on the road.
This is the first time a ranked-Florida team is playing a ranked opponent since March 24, 2009: #22 UF at #1 UConn in Storrs (NCAA 2nd Round, lost 87-59)
This is the first time a ranked-Florida team is playing a ranked opponent in the REGULAR SEASON since Feb. 12, 2009, when #9 UF lost at #24 Vanderbilt, 84-68.
UF is 2-1 vs. ranked opponents this year.
UF leads the SEC (league games only) in steals, rebounding offense and defensive rebounds, while ranking second for scoring offense.
10 of UF's games have been decided by 10 points or less (7-3), including five SEC games (3-2)

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Gators Face Nationally-Ranked Mizzou on Road Sunday

Players Mentioned

Eleanna Christinaki

Haley Lorenzen

Carlie Needles

Cassie Peoples

Simone Westbrook

Ronni Williams

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Gators Face Nationally-Ranked Mizzou on Road Sunday

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Players Mentioned

Eleanna Christinaki

Haley Lorenzen

Carlie Needles

Cassie Peoples

Simone Westbrook

Ronni Williams

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