Florida Gators

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Capping off what's been a busy week of basketball, the University of Florida women's basketball team plays its third and final game of the week Saturday, Dec. 5 when it hosts the Cincinnati Bearcats. Tipoff is slated for 1 p.m. ET from Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O'Connell as the squads square off for the first time.
 

GAME INFO

Date:	Saturday, Dec. 5
Time:	1 p.m. ET
Matchup:	Florida (2-1) vs. Cincinnati (1-0)
Location:	Gainesville, Fla. | Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center
TV:	SEC Network+ with Kyle Crooks and Brittany Davis
Live Stats:	Here
Radio:	GatorVision Audio Stream with Tom Collett and Bree Maxwell
Notes:	Florida | Cincinnati
Tickets:	Here

 
Florida returns to the hardwood after knocking off Charleston Southern 67-52 at home on Wednesday night. After playing at Florida State Tuesday night, less than 24 hours later the Gators tipped off against the Buccaneers. After a slow start out of the gates, UF ended the first half with a dominant 23-4 run and never looked back. In a pivotal second quarter, UF outscored the Buccaneers 28-15 and shot 56 percent from the floor. Senior floor general Kiki Smith paced Florida with 15 points and a career-best six steals, setting the tone on both ends of the floor. After her career night in Tallahassee, New York native Nina Rickards added 12 more against Charleston Southern.
 
Smith has enjoyed a strong start to her senior campaign, scoring 49 points (16.3 per game average) over her first three games, the most she's scored in any three-game stretch in her career.
 
Cincinnati, which has posted back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time since the 2001-02 and 2002-03 campaigns, advanced to the AAC Tournament Championship for the first time in program history last season.
 
The Bearcats enter the matchup having played just one game, which was a 73-67 overtime win over Northern Kentucky. The Bearcats trailed by as many as 13 in the second quarter, but fought back for the victory. Senior Iimar'i Thomas willed UC to the win with 34 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Thomas, who hails from Oakland, Calif., is no stranger to putting up gaudy numbers as she was tabbed the American Athletic Conference Co-Preseason Player of the Year and a WBCA Honorable Mention All-American a season ago. The Bearcats return seven lettterwinners from last season's 22-10 squad but just one starter in the aforementioned Thomas. They also welcome seven newcomers including Western Kentucky transfer Arame Niang who scored 13 points in UC's victory over NKU. The Bearcats are under the direction of third year head coach Michelle Clark-Heard, who sustained great success leading the Western Kentucky program before moving on to the Queen City.

Through three games, Florida's roster features four players averaging double figures in Smith at 16.3, Preseason All-SEC selection Lavender Briggs at 14.0, Rickards at 13.0 and redshirt-senior Danielle Rainey at 10.7. The Gators have showcased their depth in the early going. In two of their three contests, all 10 players to appear in the game scored. 
 
Following Florida's battle with the Bearcats, it will face another quick turnaround it hosts FAU Monday evening. Monday's contest will be broadcast nationally on the SEC Network and is set for an 8 p.m. ET tip.
 
Tipoff Tip Ins

• Cincinnati is one of 10 teams Florida will face this season that won 20 or more games last season.
• Smith collected a career-best six steals against Charleston Southern. Smith's on-ball defense is ferocious, her 11 steals ranks her near the top of the SEC.
• Smith leads the team steals and assists (13). The Maryland native has led the Gators in those categories in each of her two full seasons with the Gators. 
• Saturday will be the first meeting between Florida and Cincinnati. Over the years, UF has had tremendous success against AAC teams, posting a 71-15 record all time. The Gators' 71 victories against current AAC teams are their second most against in league outside of the SEC, trailing just their 83 victories over ACC foes.
• The Gators have shot above 70 percent from the line in two games already this season. A year ago, Florida struggled to shoot it from the free throw line, converting at just a 59 percent clip.
• Briggs has established herself as one of the best scorers in the SEC, but in the last two games she's shown she can facilitate as well. The sophomore has recorded five or more assists in two of UF's first three games.
• Briggs, in just 32 games played with the Gators, is approaching the 500-point plateau. The sophomore enters the game having scored 477 points. Since 1998, only one Florida player has reached 500 points in less than 40 games and that was Sha Brook in 2006-07, who did it in 34. 
• Rickards, who led the squad in three-point percentage during SEC play last season, is seven of her first 14 from three-point range. 
• After allowing 15 second chance points to FSU Tuesday, Florida did not allow Charleston Southern to score on any second chance plays on Wednesday. 

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