The University of Florida women’s basketball team takes its show on the road Thursday, Feb. 21 when it battles the Louisiana State Tigers in an SEC bout at the Maravich Center. Tipoff is slated for 7:30 p.m. ET as the Gators and Tigers tangle for the 43rd time.
The contest will be streamed live on SEC Network+ with Lyn Rollins and Victor Howel on the call while Kyle Crooks and Brittany Davis will handle the radio broadcast on ESPN 98.1 FM/850 AM.
Game Notes UF | Game Notes LSU
Florida returns to the court after dropping a 77-96 decision to No. 11 South Carolina this past Sunday, Feb. 17 in Gainesville. The Gators started strong, building a 25-18 lead after the first quarter, but weren’t able to overcome the Gamecocks’ strong shooting as they fell in their final Sunday home game. Five Gators finished in double figures and Florida won the rebounding battle, but South Carolina finished the game shooting a blistering 59 percent and drained nine of its 19 three-point attempts to claim its 15th win its last 17 games. Funda Nakkasoglu scored a team-best 19 points as she finished in double figures for the 19th time this season. Florida’s 77 points vs. South Carolina were the most it has scored in SEC play and the second most it has scored all year trailing just the 82 it registered at Mercer early in the season.
LSU, 15-9 (6-6), enters the matchup in a three-way tie for fifth place in the league. The Tigers have won three of their last four games and return home to the Maravich Center where they have registered a 10-5 record. In its most recent action on Sunday, Feb. 17, LSU earned a 79-68 win against Vanderbilt in Nashville. LSU’s calling card is its defense as it allows just 55.0 points per game which is the fewest amount of any conference team and limits its opponents to just .273 shooting from three-point range, also a league-best mark. Offensively, the Tigers and Gators are comparable as both units score in the low 60’s. Junior forward Ayana Michell leads the team in points per game, 12.8, and rebounding, 9.9, while sophomore guard Khayla Pointer also averages double figures and dishes out a team-high 4.5 assists per game. LSU is under the direction of Nikki Fargas who has amassed a record of 147-102 during her 7+ seasons in Baton Rouge. Fargas, who starred at Tennessee from 1990-94, has led the Tigers to six NCAA Tournament berths so far in her tenure.
LSU holds a 28-14 edge in the all-time series which dates back to 1978. In games played in Baton Rouge, the Gators are 5-14 and over the last 10 games the teams have played to a 5-5 draw. LSU has claimed the two meetings between the squads and UF’s last win against the Tigers occurred on Feb. 25, 2016 when it won 82-56 at the Maravich Center.
Following Thursday’s matchup, Florida will return home for back-to-back matchups at the O’Connell Center. The Gators host Texas A&M Monday, Feb. 25 as the teams square off at 7 p.m. on the SEC Network.
Florida at LSU
Time & Date: Thursday, Feb. 21 | 7:30 ET
TV:SEC Network+
Live Stats:Link
Radio: ESPN 98.1FM/850 AM WRUF
Records: Florida (6-19, 2-10) at LSU (15-9, 6-6)
Notables
- Through 25 games, as a team Florida has drained 195 three-pointers which is tied for fourth-most in program history. The Gators set the program record with 249 made treys a season ago in Newbauer’s first season at the helm.
- Between her Utah State and Florida careers, Funda Nakkasoglu has scored 1,946 points. Her total is the second highest mark among active players in the SEC (trailing just Sophie Cunningham, 2,028). Her total ranks her 19th among all active NCAA I players. In her 51 game career with UF she has scored 797 points and her 15.6 points per game average is the sixth-highest in program history. Her 143 three-pointers made are the seventh most in program history and her .393 mark from three-point range is the best in program history.
- Against South Carolina, Nakkasoglu (19), Rainey (15), Williams (14), Washington (12) and Smith (10) all finished in double figures. Sunday marked the first time that Florida featured five in double figures this season. Florida has finished with four or more double-figure scorers in back to back games for the first time this season.
- Both natives of London, UF’s Paige Robinson and LSU’s Shanice Norton never played together on the same team but are good friends and often spend time during summer breaks.
- Florida made 30 field goals against South Carolina, the most UF has recorded in a game this season. The Gators struggled to shoot it from three-point range but recorded a 64 percent mark on two-point field goals.
- Florida has actually shot it better from three-point range on the road (33.5 percent) than at home (27.4 percent).
- In their last five away games the Gators are averaging 53.0 points per game compared to 61.4 over their last five home tilts.
- UF has featured 10 different starting lineups on the season.
- Since joining the Gators at Ohio State (Dec. 16), Danielle Rainey has provided a spark and has been a difference maker. She has finished with 15 or more points in five league bouts and her 9.5 points per game average in league play is second on the team.
- Delicia Washington has recorded double-doubles in two of her last four games. Last time out she registered 12 points and 10 rebounds vs. South Carolina. The junior has 11 double-doubles in her career, ninth most amongst active SEC players.
- Through 25 games, five of UF’s opponents are either ranked in the AP Top 25 or receiving votes. As of Feb. 18, Florida ranks 47th nationally in Strength of Schedule and has taken on nine teams ranked in the RPI’s top 60. UF has battled 15 teams that qualified for the postseason a season ago. NCAA Tournament (FSU, Mercer, Ohio State, South Carolina, Missouri, Mississippi State, Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia), WNIT (Indiana, Bethune-Cookman, Utah, UNLV, Alabama) WBI (Northeastern).
- UF’s 8 newcomers have accounted for 70% of its minutes and 60% of its scoring this season.
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