Florida Gators

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The University of Florida women's basketball team returns to action Sunday, Jan. 27 when it welcomes the Arkansas Razorbacks to Gainesville for an afternoon matchup at Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center. Tipoff is slated for 2 p.m. ET as the Gators and Razorbacks meet for the 36^th time.

The contest will be streamed live on SEC Network+ with Kyle Crooks and Brittany Davis on the call while Tom Collett and Kelly Davis will handle the radio broadcast on ESPN 98.1 FM/850 AM.

Game Notes UF | Game Notes ARK

Sunday marks Season Ticket Holder Appreciation Day at the O'Connell Center as all season ticket holders are invited to a complimentary breakfast at the George Brand Center Court Club, and following breakfast, season ticket holders are welcome to stick around and enjoy the team's shootaround from the comfort of their seats. In addition to the pregame festivities, all season ticket will receive a limited-edition Florida women's basketball wood coaster set and be eligible for special giveaways throughout the game. There will also be free ice cream after the game as part of the team's Sunday Sundae promotion. For more information on the Season Ticket Holder Appreciation Day schedule click here. 

Florida fell 90-42 to the No. 7 Mississippi State Bulldogs on Thursday evening at the O'Dome. The Gators were unable to slow down the conference-leading Bulldogs who earned their eighth-straight win and finished with 90 or more points for the 10th time this season. Funda Nakkasoglu scored 14 points, including Florida's first nine, to lead the way as the Australian guard tallied her 14th double-figure scoring game on the season. Florida outrebounded Mississippi State 40-36, marking just the third time this season that the Bulldogs were outrebounded in a game. It was the seventh time Florida finished a game with 40 or more boards.

The Gators have won the rebounding battle in three straight games and six of their last eight as all five Florida wins have come in matchups where it held the edge on the boards.

Arkansas enters the matchup winners of three consecutive games including its 72-61 win over Alabama on Thursday. The Razorbacks were slated to finish 11th in the SEC Preseason Poll, but are off to a strong start at 4-2, which places them in a three-way tie for third. After sitting out all of last season, Oklahoma transfer Chelsea Dungee leads the Razorbacks in scoring at 16.7 points per game while junior Kiara Williams hauls in a team-best 7.4 boards per game. Preseason All-SEC Second Team pick Malica Monk dishes out 3.2 assists per game to pace the Razorbacks and is one of three Arkansas players to average double figures. The Razorbacks lead the SEC averaging 8.2 three-pointers per game. Arkansas is under the direction of second year head coach Mike Neighbors who owns over 120 career wins, including 28 in Fayetteville. Neighbors returned to his alma mater after coaching four seasons at Washington and guiding the Huskies to their first-ever Final Four.

In 35 meetings between the programs, UF leads the series 26-9 and has posted a 12-3 record in games played in Gainesville. UF has claimed the last five meetings and the last four matchups at home.

A season ago, Florida pulled out a 65-51 win in Fayetteville, providing head coach Cam Newbauer with his first SEC win. Paulina Hersler and Haley Lorenzen combined for 31 points and 17 rebounds to lead Florida's effort in the paint, where it outscored Arkansas, 36-18. The Gators never trailed in the contest and built their lead to as large as 18 late in the third quarter. The win snapped a three-game losing skid for UF as Delicia Washington added 14 points and nine rebounds. 

After taking on Arkansas Sunday, the Gators will hit the road for consecutive road matchups beginning with a contest at Tennessee on Jan. 31, followed by a Sunday afternoon showdown at No. 15 Kentucky.

Florida vs. Arkansas
Time & Date: Sunday, Jan. 27
Live Stream: SEC Network+
Live Stats: Link
Radio: ESPN 98.1FM/850 AM WRUF
Records: Florida (5-14, 1-5) | Arkansas (15-5, 4-2)

Notables

• Florida has won four of its last five Sunday home games.
• Nakkasoglu's 16.7 points per game average is the highest mark for a Gator through 19 games since Ronnie Williams averaged 17.6 through 19 during the 2016-17 campaign.
• In her 45 game career with Florida she has scored exactly 700 points. Her 15.6 points per game average in her career at Florida is the sixth-highest in program history. Her 118 three-pointers made are ninth most in program history and her .408 mark from three-point range is the best in program history. 
• Florida held SEC Preseason Player of the Year Teaira McCowan to a season-low two points on Thursday. 
• In all five of their wins, the Gators have outrebounded their opponent. UF is averaging 42.2 rebounds in wins while averaging 35.4 in losses.
• Sunday's contest features two of the three newest head coaches in the SEC in Cam Newbauer and Mike Neighbors of Arkansas. Both Newbauer and Neighbors were hired following the conclusion of the 2016-17 season.
• Nakkasoglu and Chealsea Dungee of Arkansas both enter the game averaging exactly 16.7 points per game, tied for fifth best in the SEC.
• UF's bench is outscoring its opponent's reserves, 366-270 on the season and the Gators have held the edge in terms of bench production in 12 games. 
• Junior forward Paige Robinson hauled in nine rebounds against Mississippi State, her most since Dec. 2 vs. Texas Tech. She also collected a career-high three steals.
• Through 19 games, six of Florida's opponents are either ranked in the AP Top 25 or receiving votes. As of Jan. 24, Florida ranks 54th nationally in Strength of Schedule and has taken on seven teams ranked with in the RPI's top 50. Florida has battled 12 teams that qualified for the postseason a season ago. NCAA Tournament (FSU, Mercer, Ohio State, South Carolina, Missouri, Mississippi State.), WNIT (Indiana, Bethune-Cookman, Utah, UNLV, Alabama) WBI (Northeastern). 
• UF's 8 newcomers have accounted for 70% of its minutes and 58% of its scoring this season.
• Since joining the Gators at Ohio State (Dec. 16), Danielle Rainey has provided a real spark off the bench. She has knocked down at least one three-pointer in eight of her 10 games played and has finished in double figures twice pouring in 15 and 16 points vs. Missouri and Ole Miss, respectively. Her 14 three-pointers in her 10 games played trail just Nakkasoglu (27) during that span. 
• Funda Nakkasoglu continues to shoot and score efficiently for the Gators:
  • Through games as of Jan. 25, SEC Rank
    o No. 1, 3-point field goals per game (3.1)
    o No. 1, 3-point field goal percentage (.473)
    o No. 6, Field goal percentage (.490) 
    o No. 6, Points per game (16.7)
    Through games as of Jan. 25, NCAA Rank
    o No. 6, 3-point field goal percentage 
    o No. 26, 3-point field goals per game
    o No. 85, Field goal percentage

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