Florida Gators
SEC (19-12, 8-8)
Florida’s 8-8 conference mark may not turn any heads, but the Gators played a tough conference schedule in the SEC. Coach Amanda Butler avoided any disappointing losses against lower quality conference teams and got some nice wins along the way. In the end, there is not much to complain about with an 8-8 record and this is a Gators team that has been tested week in and week out and they are ready to play in March.
Big Wins: 1/15 LSU (62-58), 2/2 at LSU (73-64), 2/19 Georgia (61-57)
Bad Losses: 11/11 Michigan (66-69), 12/9 at Pacific (73-78), 1/8 South Carolina (44-49)
Coach: Amanda Butler (6 seasons at Florida)
Why They Can Surprise:
Florida has some quality options in the frontcourt. Jennifer George, a 6-0 forward, is the scorer of the bunch. The offense will work through George when she is on the floor and that is a very good thing for this team. George has developed into a fine scorer in the paint. She is also very tough on the glass and a quality defender. Speaking of defense, 6-4 center Azania Stewart is a superb shot blocker. Stewart will not score much, but she is an imposing presence in the paint on the defensive end of the floor. With Stewart and George playing defense, it can be very tough to score against the Gators. Ndidi Madu is a very experienced player who has some starting experience. She will most likely come in off of the bench for Stewart and George. She may not have the scoring prowess of George or the defensive abilities of Stewart, but Madu is a tough rebounder who can certainly fill in under the basket as needed.
Why They Can Disappoint:
If George is having an off game offensively, the Gators offense could struggle. This group has worked through George and that has opened things up for the guards. Jordan Jones is the perimeter’s biggest scoring threat and thanks to the scoring threat in the paint, Jones will get quite a few open looks from beyond the arc. And she can knock them down. Lanita Bartley can do a little bit of everything and Jaterra Bonds is a dangerous scorer when her shot is falling, but she has been quite inconsistent this season. And it is that inconsistent offense that will be an issue for Florida during the tournament. This is a squad that can go long stretches without much offense and they cannot afford those spurts of offensive ineptitude in March if they want to make a nice tournament.
Probable Starters:
Lanita Bartley, Senior, Guard, 9.1 ppg, 3.2 apg, 5.1 rpg
Jaterra Bonds, Sophomore, Guard, 8.1 ppg, 2.6 apg
Jordan Jones, Senior, Guard, 11.6 ppg, 1.8 apg
Jennifer George, Junior, Forward, 13.0 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 1.6 bpg
Azania Stewart, Senior, Center, 6.2 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 2.2 bpg
Key Roleplayers:
Deana Allen, Senior, Guard, 7.6 ppg, 1.9 apg, 4.8 rpg
Ndidi Madu, Senior, Forward, 5.0 ppg, 4.2 rpg
Lily Svete, Sophomore, Forward, 2.3 ppg, 1.0 rpg
Andrea Valaro Aragones, Freshman, Guard, 2.5 ppg, 1.4 rpg
By the Numbers:
Scoring Offense: 67.8 (73rd in nation, 5th in conference)
Scoring Defense: 59.8 (129, 7)
Field-Goal Percentage: 40.7 (91, 5)
Field-Goal Defense: 38.2 (147, 8)
Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 5.3 (118, 4)
Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 29.4 (180, 6)
Free-Throw Percentage: 64.7 (278, 6)
Rebound Margin: 5.4 (33, 3)
Assists Per Game: 13.8 (83, 4)
Turnovers Per Game: 17.0 (152, 5)
Recent Postseason Appearances:
Florida 2011 NIT Round of 64 win over UMBC
Florida 2011 NIT Round of 32 win over Florida Gulf Coast
Florida 2011 NIT Regional Semifinal loss to Charlotte
Florida 2010 NIT Round of 64 win over South Florida
Florida 2010 NIT Round of 32 loss to Miami
Florida 2009 NCAA Round of 64 win over Temple
Florida 2009 NCAA Round of 32 loss to Connecticut
Florida 2008 NIT Second Round win over Florida Gulf Coast
Florida 2008 NIT Third Round loss to North Carolina State
Florida 2006 NCAA Round of 64 loss to New Mexico
*all team stats through 3/1
See All Women’s Basketball Postseason Capsules
