Florida Gators

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Florida continues its challenging two-game road trip against perhaps the hottest team in the SEC, as the Gators travel the 816 miles (as the crow files) to Fayetteville, Ark., to play the Razorbacks on Thursday evening. Tip-off from Bud Walton Arena is set for 8 p.m. ET (7 p.m. CT)
 
While there will not be television coverage of the game, live streaming video will be provided by SEC Network +, which is viewable through the WatchESPN app and via SECNetwork.com.
 
Preseason Picks

• Florida was voted by the league's coaches and media to finish 12th in the 14-team league.
• Arkansas was selected eighth by the coaches and by the media.

 
The Series vs. Arkansas

• 33-Game Series: UF leads 24-9
• UF Home: 11-3; Away: 9-5; Neutral: 4-1
• Florida won last year's meeting against Arkansas, 72-58, in Gainesville.
• The Gators have lost their last two trips to Fayetteville by a combined six points, including the Jan. 29, 2012 double-overtime thriller, 73-72.
• UF's last win against the Razorbacks in Fayetteville was a 94-78 affair on Jan. 3, 2010.
• Three of the last four games in the series have been decided by seven points or less.
• Seven of the last 10 games have been decided by single digits.

 
Don't Let Their Record Fool You!

• Arkansas played a nationally ranked team in each of its first five SEC games - and compiled an impressive 3-2 record during that run after entering league play with a 5-8 mark.
• Overall, the Razorbacks have played seven ranked teams.
• The team then earned a road win at LSU and moved to 4-2 in SEC play, before dropping a tough overtime road decision at Auburn.
• The Razorbacks were named the NCAA's Team of the Week recently after earning victories over Tennessee and Missouri in consecutive games.

 
A Gator Win on Thursday would ...

• Tie for the third-best 21-game start in program history, trailing only the 19-2 record of the 2008-09 and the 2000-01 clubs.
• Be UF's first win against Arkansas in Fayetteville since Jan. 3, 2010.
• Improve UF's overall away record to 6-2 this season, including 3-1 in the SEC.

 
What's Next?

• Florida returns to the O'Connell Center for a two-game stand against a pair of nationally ranked opponents.
• The Gators play host to No. 9 Kentucky on Sunday, January 31 at 1 p.m.
• Florida then welcomes No. 13/12 Texas A&M to the O'Dome on Thursday, February 4 at 7 p.m.

 
Looking Back: No. 23 Missouri defeated No. 22/23 Florida, 79-64 (Sunday, January 24)

• Missouri hit 53.1 percent of its shots from the floor, including an 8-of-15 effort from the three-point arc and defeated Florida, 79-64, Sunday afternoon at Mizzou Arena.
• The teams were tied at halftime and the usually potent second-half offense by the Gators sputtered and was outscored, 41-26, by the Tigers, who have won all five meetings in the short series.
• Ronni Williams scored 14 points and recorded her 12th double-figure scoring game this year; 44th of her career.
• Carlie Needles scored 12 points for her sixth double-figure scoring game this year and 32nd of her career
• Missouri shot 53.1 percent (26-49) from the floor, the highest by a Gator opponent this season

 
Gator Watch

• Ronni Williams, a preseason Second Team All-SEC performer, is UF's leading scorer (10.8 ppg) and rebounder (7.6 pg).
• In SEC games, Williams is nearly averaging a double-double: 11.1 points and 9.4 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)
• Has 11 double-figure scoring games this year

 
Threading the Needles

• Through seven SEC games, senior Carlie Needles is UF's third-leading scorer in league contests at 9.1 points per game despite not scoring against Alabama
• In SEC games:
  • >> 11-of-33 three-pointers  (33.3%)
  • >> 44.0% FG (22-50)         
  • >> 13 assists and 12 steals

 
Rookie Review

• Eleanna Christinaki is the only true freshman on the Gator squad and has made quite an impact!
• Has scored in double-figures in 9 of the last 13 games (entering Arkansas)
• Has 11 double-figure scoring games - Second 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 11 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)

 
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. 3 in the league (all games) for steals (No. 6 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 three games this season.
• UF has at least 10 steals in each of the last 12 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 (81.2 ppg), however, the team's leading scorer - Ronni Williams - averages just 10.8 points per game.
• Freshman Eleanna Christinaki averages 10.5 per game - while senior Cassie Peoples and sophomore Haley Lorenzen are close behind at 9.6 and 9.3 per game, respectively.

 
Sharp-Shooting Career

• Carlie Needles is 188-562 (33.5%) in her career from the three-point arc.
• Entering today's game, she is No. 5 all-time in UF history
• She passed Steffi Sorensen (2008-10) for fifth in UF history during the Nov. 24 win against Savannah State.
• Next on UF's chart: 194 by Jordan Jones (2009-12).
• Needles is the SEC's second-leading active career three-point shooter for makes just behind Tiaria Griffin of Georgia

 
Quotes from the Court – UF Head Coach Amanda Butler
General Remarks vs. Arkansas
"Arkansas has been this season one of the hardest home courts to go to and grab a win. They struggled a little in the non-conference, but have since beaten Tennessee, Missouri and Texas A&M – all nationally ranked opponents. They are playing great. They have one of the best players in the league in Jessica Jackson. We're excited to head to Bud Walton Arena and see what happens."
 
What was learned from Sunday's loss at Missouri:
"We didn't do a good job in critical moments of boxing out. They got some big rebounds. Personnel awareness is a big part of the way we play defense and we played great personnel awareness in the first half and in the second half not so much. Little points of execution and communication that cannot waiver that did. When you're playing any SEC team, they are going to capitalize on those mistakes."
 
On Jimmy Dykes and his style of play at Arkansas in his second year:
"They are really different than what they were last year. It's probably more so the intangibles he's trying to instill – an amazing atmosphere on their home court and make that one of the toughest places to play and we've got to be prepared for that. Their personnel is different, aside from Jessica Jackson who is one of the best scorers in our league. They have a lot of different pieces of the puzzle this year. A lot of on-ball attacks and we've got to be ready for that. Trying to compare (Coach Dykes') two seasons, they were very different seasons."
 
 
Game Day at a Glance

• Who: #rv/rv Florida (16-4, 4-3 SEC) at Arkansas (9-11, 4-3 SEC)
• Where: Bud Walton Arena (19,200) * Fayetteville, Arkansas
• When: Thurs., January 27, 2016 * 8 pmET/7 CT

 
Game Notes (PDF)

• Florida
• Arkansas

 
Game Coverage & More!

• Radio: LIVE on ESPN Gainesville (WRUF-AM850/FM95.3) and Jacksonville (WFXJ-AM930) with Adam Schick & Brittany Davis
• Internet Audio: LIVE thru FloridaGators.com (FREE)
• TV: none
• Internet Video: SECNetwork + (WatchESPN and SECNetwork.com)
• Internet Scoring: (FREE) thru FloridaGators.com

 
Opening Tip

• The Gators are 24-9 in their series against Arkansas, including a 9-5 edge in Fayetteville.
• Florida's last win versus the Razorbacks at Bud Walton Arena was January 3, 2010, a 59-53 squeaker
• UF is coming off its biggest loss of the year (15 points at Mizzou), while Arkansas had its impressive three-game win streak halted with an overtime road loss at Auburn
• 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.
• UF is 2-2 vs. ranked opponents this year.
• UF leads the SEC (league games only) in steals and rebounding, 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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