Florida Gators

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The University of Florida women's basketball team (10-5, 1-1) returns to action this Thursday, Jan. 9 when it travels to Auburn (6-7, 0-2) for another SEC battle. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. inside Auburn Arena.
 

GAME INFO

Date:	Thursday, Jan. 9
Time:	7 p.m. ET
Matchup:	Florida (10-5, 1-1) at Auburn (6-7, 0-2)
Location:	Auburn, Ala. | Auburn Arena (9,121)
TV:	SECNetwork+ with Brad Law & Joe Ciampi
Live Stats:	Here
Radio:	WRUF ESPN 98.1 FM/850 AM  with Kyle Crooks & Brittany Davis
Game Notes:	Florida | Auburn

Florida gets back to competition on the hardwood after posting a 68-60 victory over Vanderbilt in its conference home opener this past Sunday. Snapping a five-game losing streak in SEC home openers, the Gators turned in another gritty defensive performance paired with a multi-faceted offensive display. UF limited Vanderbilt, which entered the game averaging 70.6 points per game, to just 60 as it held its opponent below their season scoring average for the 10^th time this season. Offensively, four Gator players scored 10 or more points paced by Lavender Briggs (19) and Kiki Smith (17). Redshirt-senior Zada Williams added her third double-double of the season with 10 points and 11 rebounds.

Against Vanderbilt, Briggs finished with a double-figure point total for the 13^th-straight game tying her with Brittany Davis for the program's longest streak since 2005. Briggs' play has been steady and strong as she continues to lead all SEC rookies with a 14.3 points per game average. The Utah native's scoring average through her first 14 career games played is the highest by any Florida first-year player since the 1991-92 season when Merlakia Jones averaged 15.7 through the same amount of contests to begin her collegiate career.

All four Florida freshmen have contributed to the team's 10-5 start. UF ranks second in the conference in games played by freshmen (55) and games started (20).

Florida's freshmen have been great, but its returners have as well; in particular the upperclassmen Williams and Smith as both Gators have increased their production significantly. Smith has increased her scoring by over 90 percent from 7.1 points per game in 2018-19 to 13.7 in 2019-20. The six-foot-two center, Williams, has upped her rebounds per game average from 4.8 per game last season to 8.3 this year and leads the team with a dazzling .617 field goal percentage.

When the teams met in Gainesville last season Florida was 4-11, and when the teams take the court Thursday it will enter with a 10-5 mark. Through 15 games last season, the Gators were without a victory on the road or in conference play. They have both of those under their belt now.

The Gators and Tigers will meet for the 59^th time Thursday. Auburn holds a 37-21 advantage in the series which began in 1977. The momentum has been in the Tigers' favor of late as they have claimed the last three meetings. Florida hasn't won at Auburn since January of 2015.
 
Auburn (6-7) has opened its league slate 0-2 with setbacks at Vanderbilt and home to No. 20 Arkansas. The Tigers, picked to finish seventh in the SEC Preseason Media Poll, are 4-2 at home this season. Auburn leads the SEC in steals at 10.7 per game but also allows the most points per game at 73.6. The Tigers returned three starters and eight letterwinners from last season's team which posted a 22-10 record and qualified for the program's third NCAA Tournament in the past four seasons. Upperclassmen Unique Thompson and Daisa Alexander, both Preseason All-SEC Second Team selections, pace the Tigers offensively. Thompson has been outstanding for AU to open the season, averaging 17.5 points per game and a 12.1 rebounds per game. Thompson leads the conference in rebounds and ranks top five in all Division I. Thompson has 12 double-doubles this season to lead the conference while Alexander (13.9) and Brooke Moore (12.3) also average double figures.

The Tigers are under the direction of eighth-year head coach Terri Williams-Flournoy who has amassed 130 wins during her tenure. The Penn State graduate has guided Auburn to postseason appearances in nine of the last 11 seasons including six NCAA Tournaments. Thursday's contest marks the second of three-straight home games for the Tigers, their longest homestand of the season.

Following Thursday's contest, Florida will be back in Gainesville to battle No. 14 Kentucky Sunday, Jan. 12. Tipoff is slated for Noon ET and the game will air nationally on ESPNU. For more information on tickets, click here. 
 
NOTABLES

• UF has outrebounded its opponent in 10 times in 15 games and is 9-1 when doing so.
• The Gators are outscoring their opponents 268-213 in the second quarter, its best scoring margin in any quarter so far this season. Florida has won 12 of its 15 second quarters this season.
• Florida has featured four double-figure scorers in six games already this season. A season ago the Gators only did this in five games.
• Florida is off to a 10-5 start and already has more wins than last season (8-23).
• The Gators have held 10 of their opponents below their scoring average. On five occasions they have held their opponent to less than 30 percent shooting after only doing so twice last year. 
• Zada Williams averages 8.3 rebounds per game to pace Florida. Williams, who has grabbed 15 or more rebounds in a game twice already this season, has increased her rebounds per game average by 73 percent compared to last season.
• Lavender Briggs is one of four SEC freshmen with at least four double-doubles.

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