With five games remaining on the regular-season schedule, Florida must play three of those contests away from the friendly confines of the O’Connell Center. One of those road excursions takes place Thursday night at one of the toughest venues in all of women’s basketball – the Memorial Gym at Vanderbilt in Nashville, Tenn.
The Gators, who are now ranked No. 9 in the Associated Press poll and No. 11 in the ESPN-USA Today coaches’ poll, bring a 22-2 overall and 8-1 Southeastern Conference record into the game against the 24th-ranked Commodores. Tipoff is at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
Florida moved into the Top 10 in the AP poll thanks to a 66-57 victory over Tennessee last Sunday at the O’Connell Center, only the Gators’
GAME DAY
What: No. 9 Florida (22-2 overall, 8-1 SEC) at No. 24 Vanderbilt (18-6, 7-2 SEC).
When: Thursday at 8 p.m. ET.
TV: Live on FSN-Florida in north and central Florida and Sun Sports in south Florida (play-by-play Mick Hubert; analyst Mark Wise).
third victory over Pat Summitt’s Lady Volts in 40 games. Now, Amanda Butler’s team faces another big test – the Commodores, who are 18-6 and 7-2 in the SEC, have a 12-1 record at Memorial Gym, the only setback a 59-57 loss to Notre Dame on Dec. 30. Vanderbilt, the preseason coaches’ pick to win the SEC regular-season title, trails Auburn and Florida by a game.
“We have a very, very tough road ahead,” Butler said. “It will be a very hostile environment. They shoot exceptionally well at home. Like every team in our league, they are a whole different team when they play on their home floor.”
The SEC race isn’t the only thing heating up. In her last three outings, Florida All-America candidate Sha Brooks has averaged 27.7 points thanks to a 13-of-21 (62 percent) shooting effort from beyond the 3-point line. Brooks has been in double figures scoring 14 straight games and is currently averaging 16.4 points overall and 21.4 in SEC games. The senior from Jackson, Tenn., scored 29 points in each victory last week over Alabama and Tennessee and won her third SEC Player of the Week honor.
In the five games Florida has played against ranked teams this season, Brooks is averaging 22.6 points and is shooting 41 percent from the floor. She has scored at least 24 points in five of those games.
“Sha is just playing at a whole other level offensively right now,” Butler said.
This remarkable season – Florida’s 22-2 start is the best in the program’s history – has not been a one-player show. Brooks’ fellow senior Marshae Dotson, a 5-11 forward, is averaging 12.9 points overall and 14.8 in the SEC. She also leads the team in rebounding and field-goal percentage.
The 1993-94 Gators team, which was captained by Amanda Butler, went 22-3 in the team’s first 25 games, a record Butler’s team will try to break Thursday with their eighth straight SEC victory.
But that victory won’t be easy. Vandy is 26-18 overall against Florida, including 13-5 at the Memorial Gym, and has won three straight games from the Gators. Florida’s last victory in Nashville came on Feb. 1, 2004 with a 92-83 shootout triumph.
“Vanderbilt has a tremendous amount of experience,” Butler added. “Christina Wirth and Jenn Risper are two of the most unique seniors in this league. They’ve won championships, they both have unique games and they are very confident. Melanie Balcomb is a tremendous coach, one of the best in our league, and you know she’ll have her team ready. We are going to have to play well.”
Senior forward Christina Wirth is one of the SEC’s most well-rounded players, leading Vanderbilt with 14.6 points per game, hitting 46-of-121 from beyond the arc for 38.0 percent, while also contributing 5.5 rebounds, 51 assists and 39 steals. Senior guard Jennifer Risper adds 8.5 points and 5.5 rebounds, while dishing 63 assists and 61 steals.
SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL STANDINGS
Conference Overall
W L Pct. GB W L Pct.
Auburn 8 1 .889 — 23 1 .958
Florida 8 1 .889 — 22 2 .917
Vanderbilt 7 2 .778 1 18 6 .750
Tennessee 6 3 .667 2 17 6 .739
Miss. State 5 4 .556 3 18 6 .750
Georgia 5 4 .556 3 15 9 .625
LSU 5 4 .556 3 12 9 .571
Mississippi 4 5 .444 4 15 9 .625
Kentucky 3 6 .333 5 13 11 .542
Arkansas 2 7 .222 6 13 11 .542
South Carolina 1 8 .111 7 9 13 .409
Alabama 0 9 .000 8 12 12 .500
THIS WEEK
Thursday, Feb. 12
Florida at Vanderbilt, 8 p.m.
Kentucky at Auburn, 7 p.m.
Alabama at Tennessee, 7 p.m.
South Carolina at Arkansas, 8 p.m.
Mississippi State at Mississippi, 9 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 15
Florida at Louisiana State, 1 p.m.
Georgia at Vanderbilt, 1 p.m. (ESPN2)
Mississippi at Arkansas, 3 p.m.
Auburn at Mississippi State, 3 p.m.
Alabama at South Carolina, 3 p.m.
NEXT WEEK
Monday, Feb. 16
Duke at Tennessee, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
Thursday, Feb. 19
Arkansas at Florida, 7 p.m.
Louisiana State at Georgia, 7 p.m.
Tennessee at Kentucky, 7 p.m.
Mississippi at Alabama, 7 p.m.
Auburn at Vanderbilt, 9 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 22
South Carolina at Florida, 1 p.m.
Georgia at Auburn, 3 p.m.
Alabama at Arkansas, 3 p.m.
Kentucky at Louisiana State, 3 p.m.
Vanderbilt at Mississippi, 3 p.m.
Mississippi State at Tennessee, 3 p.m.