Florida Gators

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Florida plays its 17th game on the road, as the team travels to College Station, Texas, and faces Texas A&M on Thu., February 2, with tip-off from Reed Arena set for 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT.
 
The game will not have television coverage, but can be viewed online via SEC Network+.
 
Gators vs. Aggies: Historic First Meeting

• Florida and TAMU played once prior to the Aggie's membership into the SEC – March 16, 1994.
• Texas A&M won inaugural meeting in the series between the Gators and Aggies, taking the 78-76 win in the first round of the 1994 NCAA Tournament.
• The game was played in College Station, Texas, however Florida was the higher-seed (No. 4) and would have been awarded the host site if a Rod Stewart concert was not already scheduled in the O'Connell Center that weekend.
• Instead, the Gators took their game on the road in what would be the final collegiate game for Amanda Butler, who was Florida's senior captain. Butler scored 15 points, hitting four three-pointers, while dishing five assists in 39 minutes of action.

 
What Just Happened

• Florida captured its second SEC win of the season - also its second on the road - when the Gators defeated Vanderbilt, 93-73 in Nashville. Ronni Williams stole the spotlight with her show-stopping 43-point, 14-rebound performance.
• Texas A&M dropped a tough 71-61 road decision at No. 4 Mississippi State on Sunday. The Aggies outscored the Bulldogs in two quarters and the third quarter was even with 14 points apiece. It was the second quarter where MSU separated itself with a 26-9 scoring advantage to earn the win.

 
In the last 18 days...

• Florida and Texas A&M last met 18 days ago in Gainesville, where the Aggies took the 67-59 win on January 15.
• Since that game, the Gators have posted a 2-1 record, with both wins coming on the road.
• Texas A&M is a deciding 1-2 during that span, with the 10-point loss to Mississippi State and a two-point overtime setback on the road at Missouri. TAMU did get the 54-52 home win against LSU.

 
Halfway to Greenville

• Florida wrapped up the first half of its 16-game SEC slate with a road win at Vanderbilt and a 2-6 record.
• The second half of the Gator's SEC schedule includes four home games (Ole Miss, Arkansas, Missouri and Georgia) and four on the road (Texas A&M, Alabama, Kentucky and Tennessee).

 
What's Next for the Gators

• UF returns to Exactech Arena, where the Gators play host to Ole Miss on MONDAY at 7 p.m.
• Ole Miss has a mid-week bye from competition.
• The game will be televised live on the SEC Network, with Brenda VanLengen and Carol Ross calling the action.

 
Gator Watch

• Ronni Williams - the lone four-year senior on the roster - led UF in scoring as a sophomore and junior and is doing so again this season.
• Williams became the 24th Gator to score 1,000 career points, doing so on Dec. 3 vs. Long Beach State.
• She became the 15th Gator to collect 700 career rebounds, eclipsing the mark on January 5 at LSU.
• In addition to leading the Gators in scoring with 19.4 points per game (21.9 ppg in SEC games), Williams also leads the Gators in rebounding (7.8 pg), field goal percentage (57.0%) and free throw percentage (76.4%) and is second for assists (54) this year.

 
Who's Hot

• During the last TWO games, Ronni Williams averaged 37.0 points, 8.5 rebounds and converted 86.7 percent (26-30) from the free throw line.
• Senior Tyshara Fleming averaged 12.5 points and 11.0 rebounds over the last two games, netting a double-double in both, while hitting 73.3 percent from the floor (11-15).

 
Notes from Florida's Last Game: won at Vanderbilt, 93-73 (Jan. 29)

• Ronni Williams scored a career-high 43 points and led the Gators to their 10th road win of the season.
• Vanderbilt's 11 three-pointers were tied for the most by an opponent this season (Auburn, Jan. 1)
• Dyandria Anderson's long-range bucket to end the first half gave the Gators the momentum into the second where they opened on a quick 8-2 run, with Washington and Williams both accounting for four points and Florida's lead was at 14 points, 44-30.
• The teams went back and forth a bit before the Gators used a 6-0 spurt and grew their lead to 54-36 with 2:03 remaining in the third quarter. Vanderbilt again chipped away but Williams hit a jumper with six seconds left in the third and the Gators took a 15-point advantage into the fourth quarter.
• Florida opened the final frame on a 7-3 march for a 65-46 cushion and the Gators needed it, as Vanderbilt heated up again from beyond the arc, using a pair during a 10-0 run that cut Florida's lead to nine points, 65-56, with 5:16 remaining.
• The Gators maintained their composure and withstood the long-range barrage to earn their second SEC road win of the year.

 
Twice the Fun

• During the 2016-17 season's 16-game SEC schedule, the Gators will play Georgia (their 'permanent' rival), Tennessee and Texas A&M twice.

 

Florida's Probable "Starting 5"
Pos	##	Name	HT	YR	PPG	RPG
F	1	Ronni Williams	6-0	SR	19.4	7.8
F	44	Haley Lorenzen	6-3	JR	12.0	6.7
G	00	Delicia Washington	5-10	FR	10.2	5.2
G	11	Dyandria Anderson	5-10	JR	6.9	4.3
G/F	22	Sydney Morang	5-10	FR	2.1	1.8

 

Texas A&M's Probable "Starting 5"
Pos	##	Name	HT	YR	PPG	RPG
F	4	Anriel Howard	5-11	SO	10.3	11.0
F/G	21	Jasmine Lumpkin	6-0	JR	7.9	4.0
C	00	Khaalia Hillsman	6-5	JR	16.5	8.0
G	11	Curtyce Knox	5-7	RSR	11.3	9.3a
G	12	Danni Williams	5-10	SO	17.5	2.6

 
Game Day at a Glance

• Who: Florida (11-10, 2-6 SEC) at Texas A&M (15-6, 5-3 SEC)
• Where: Reed Arena * College Station, Texas
• When: Thu., February 2 * 8 pm ET/7 pm CT

 
Game Notes

• Florida
• Texas A&M 

 
Game Coverage & More!

• Radio: LIVE on ESPN Gainesville 98.1 with Adam Schick & Brittany Davis
• Internet Audio: LIVE thru FloridaGators.com (FREE) 
• Television: none
• Streaming Video: SEC Network + 
• Internet Scoring: LIVE through SidearmStats

 
Opening Tip

• Thursday's game is Florida's 17th on the road this season.
• This is the second meeting this season between the Aggies and Gators. Texas A&M won the January 15 meeting - just 18 days ago - in Gainesville, 67-59.
• Three of Florida's last four games have been decided by single digits.
• Florida is 2-5 in games decided by 10 points or less this season, including 1-3 in SEC games.
• UF's Ronni Williams leads the SEC in scoring (all games). She is coming off a 43-point, 14-rebound performance against Vanderbilt. She was named the SEC Co-Player of the Week on Jan. 31.

 
Gator Pronunciations:

• DYANDRIA Anderson: dee-ANN-dree-uh
• TYSHARA Fleming: tie-SHEER-uh

 
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