Gators Look to Rematch with Ole Miss (Sunday, 1 pm)
The Gators enjoyed Thursday's win and aim to repeat that same success on Sunday.
Photo By: Tim Casey
Saturday, January 20, 2018

Gators Look to Rematch with Ole Miss (Sunday, 1 pm)

Kathy Cafazzo
It will be second time in 14 days that the Gators and Rebels square off on the hardwood.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Gators aim to continue their momentum following their first Southeastern Conference victory when they play host to Ole Miss at Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center on Sunday at 1 p.m.
 
It will be second time in 14 days that the Gators and Rebels square off on the hardwood. Ole Miss edged Florida on Jan. 7 in Oxford, where the Rebels won the double-overtime thriller, 78-75. [READ ALL ABOUT THAT FIRST MEETING: http://floridagators.com/news/2018/1/7/womens-basketball-gators-drop-double-overtime-thriller-at-ole-miss.aspx?path=basketball-women ]
 
Following that game, the Gators dropped their next two contests before defeating Arkansas on Thursday, while the Rebels have lost to Mississippi State and Missouri.
 
We Back Pat
  • All 14 SEC teams will participate in the SEC initiative 'We Back Pat," which honors the late Tennessee women's basketball coach Pat Summitt and helps bring awareness to the Pat Summitt Foundation and finding a cure for Alzheimer's, the disease that eventually took her life.
  • Purple is the color for Alzheimer's and the team's will be wearing special shooting shirts during the game and incorporating the color purple into their clothing on the bench.
 
Hi Mom!
  • Today's game is the Gator's third of six consecutive games televised by SEC Network.
  • Jenn Hildreth and Gator Great Steffi Sorensen will be calling the action today.
  • Sorensen graduated from UF in 2010 and excelled from beyond the arc during her two-year Gator career. She is still the program's all-time leader for career three-point percentage (37.3%, 161-432) and is sixth all-time in made threes after graduating ranked No. 4. Both of her Gator teams continue to rank as the top two UF squads for made three-pointers in a season, with the 2009 team hitting a record-221 and the 2010 squad netting 220 from deep.
  • Florida has at least 13 games set for television this season.
 
FINALLY!
  • The Gators earned their first SEC win at Arkansas on Jan. 18, snapping a five-game skid to their league start.
  • Entering the victory at Arkansas, Florida had four straight games by single digits.
 
Close Ones
  • Overall this season, the Gators have played nine games decided by 10 points or less (3-6 record overall, 0-4 SEC).
 
Gators vs. Rebels: The Series
  • 37-Game Series: UF leads 20-17 (UF Home: 8-10; Away: 12-6; Neutral: 0-1)
  • Streak: Ole Miss has won the last two meetings against Florida, including the Jan. 7 double-overtime thriller earlier this month and last year's game in Gainesville, 84-75
  • Quirky Streak: Five of the last six meetings have been won by the visiting team. It had been a five-game streak won by the away team until this year's game in Oxford on Jan. 7, when the Rebels halted that trend. Prior to that, the last time the home team won in the series was during the 2011-12 season, when the teams played twice and both won on their respective home courts.
  • Florida's last win vs. Ole Miss: Jan. 10, 2016 - 85-65 in Oxford in the first women's game played at The Pavilion at Ole Miss
 
Twice the SEC Fun
  • During the 2017-18 season's 16-game SEC schedule, the Gators will play Georgia (their 'permanent' rival), Ole Miss and 2017 NCAA national-runner-up Mississippi State twice.
 
Gators for THREEEEEE!
  • Entering Sunday's game, the Gators are averaging 9.3 three-pointers per game and converting at a 32.5 percent clip.
  • Thru games played Jan. 18, UF ranks tied-No. 15 in the country in threes per game; and No. 11 in total three-pointers made (176).
  • Florida has converted double-digit threes in NINE games this year, most recently 10 vs. Kentucky (Jan. 11).
 
You Hit a 3 ... and You Hit a 3 ...
  • It took just six games for TEN of the 11 players on the scholarship roster to hit at least one trey this season.
 
If the season ended today after playing just 19 games ...
  • The Gator's 176 three-pointers would be TIED for the eighth-most in a season in program history.
  • Florida's 32.5 percent 3-point shooting effort would rank as the tied-for-seventh best in a season in program history.
 
What Else do the Gators do well?
  • Aside from hitting the three at an SEC-leading rate (all games), Florida does not get fouled. The Gators rank No. 5 in the country in staying out of foul trouble, being whistled for just 12.7 fouls per game.
  • It wasn't until Florida's 16th game of the season that a Gator (Delicia Washington) fouled out - and that didn't happen until there was 2:45 remaining in the second-overtime period at Ole Miss!
  • Washington became the first Gator to foul out during regulation, doing so in UF's 18th game of the year (vs. LSU) with 20.8 seconds remaining and the Gators in a must-foul situation.
 
What Just Happened
  • Paulina Hersler tied her career-high of 19 points, Haley Lorenzen tallied a double-double and Florida defeated Arkansas, 65-51, to earn its first SEC win of the season.
  • Hersler and Lorenzen, who comprise the Gator's frontcourt, combined for 31 points and 17 rebounds and led Florida's effort in the paint, where it outscored Arkansas, 36-18.
  • The Gators, who never trailed during the game, use an impressive third quarter to build an 18-point lead and stood up to the Razorback's fourth-quarter rally to become just the second team in 10 games to defeat Arkansas in Fayetteville this year.
 
Gator Watch  
Who's Hot!
  • During the last three games, it's been Florida's frontcourt that has led the team offensively, with Paulina Hersler atop the chart with 16.0 points, while hitting 8-of-20 three-pointers (40%) and collecting 6.3 rebounds per game.
  • Fellow forward Haley Lorenzen is averaging 13.7 points and 10.0 rebounds during the last three games.
  • Sophomore Delicia Washington continues to show her diversity on the court and is UF's leading rebounder during the last three games, collecting 10.3 per game along with a team-best 10 assists (3.3 pg).
 
Previewing the Game  
 
Game Day at a Glance
  • Who: Florida (9-10, 1-5 SEC) vs. Ole Miss (11-7, 1-4 SEC)
  • Where: Exactech Arena (10,151), Gainesville, Florida
  • When: Sun., January 21 * 1 pm ET
  • Single-Game Tickets: Adult, General Admission - $5; Children 12 & Under and UF Students – FREE
  • Special Promotion Tickets: Seniors, ages 55 and older, receive buy one, get one FREE admission to the game.
 
Pregame Notes (PDF)  
Gator Game Coverage & More!  
Additional Hoopla for Sunday - Sponsored by Kiss 105.3
Senior Sunday
  • Seniors, ages 55 and older, receive buy one, get one FREE admission to the game.
Shoe Lace Giveaway
  • The first 250 kids 12 and under will receive Gators shoe laces!
    • Location-Main Atrium
Kids Korner
  • Kids Korner is back featuring, Cornhole, Inflatable Football Toss, Video Games, Pop-A-Shot and more!
    • Location-Practice Court (Gate 4)
Postgame Autographs
  • Following the game, head down to the court and get autographs from all your favorite Gators!
    • Location-Court
Sundae Sundays
  • After the game, enjoy a complementary ice cream sundae bar complete with all the toppings, while supplies last.
    • Location-Main Atrium
Champions of Character
  • Elementary and middle schools in area counties are invited to attend game.  Family members of participants receive discounted admission.  Select students from each participating school will be recognized on court and receive T Shirts and certificates!  Registration inside Exactech Arena on the Practice Court
We Back Pat
  • 7th annual celebration of We Back Pat Week.  Initiative is in collaboration with SEC women's basketball coaches and dedicated to remembering legendary Coach Pat Summitt and the Pat Summitt Foundation's fight against Alzheimer's disease. 
 
 
Gator Pronunciations for this Release:
  • DYANDRIA Anderson: dee-ANN-dree-uh
  • FUNDA NAKKASOGLU: FOON-da knock-a-SO-glue
  • DELICIA Washington: duh-LEE-shuh
 
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JOIN THE CONVERSATION: #WeChomp
 
 
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