Alabama
Florida
Alabama Readies for Road Matchup Against Florida
2/6/2019 2:06:00 PM | Women's Basketball
The Crimson Tide will look to sweep the season series with the Gators on Thursday
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama will look to complete the season sweep of Florida on Thursday, February 7 at 6 p.m. CT inside the Exactech Arena at Stephen C. O'Connell Center. The Crimson Tide (11-11, 3-6 SEC) is coming off a 65-49 loss against No. 6 Mississippi State on Sunday, while the Gators (5-17, 1-8 SEC) have lost their last five SEC contests.
THE BROADCAST
• Thursday's game will stream live on SEC Network + via the WatchESPN app. Kyle Crooks (play-by-play) and Brittany Davis (analyst) will be on the call.
• The game can also be heard on the Crimson Tide Sports Network on 100.1 FM in Tuscaloosa with Roger Hoover on the broadcast.
OPENING TIP
• Alabama is going for its second win over Florida in 2019 when the two teams matchup on Thursday, Feb. 7 at 6 p.m. CT in Gainesville, Fla.
• The Crimson Tide (11-11, 3-6 SEC) defeated the Gators (5-17, 1-8 SEC) in the first SEC game of the season on Jan. 3, 74-67, in Coleman Coliseum.
• The Gators lone SEC win of the season was at home against Missouri, 58-56, on Jan. 13.
• This is the 60th overall meeting between the two programs, with Alabama holding the series lead at 31-28. Alabama has won three straight series meetings, including a win in Tuscaloosa earlier this year.
ABOUT FLORIDA
• The Gators have dropped their last five games, with their last loss coming on Sunday, Feb. 3 at No. 19 Kentucky, 62-51.
• Funda Nakkasoglu leads UF with 16.4 points per game while shooting 43.5 percent from beyond the arc. Delicia Washington also averages 10.4 points and eight rebounds per contest.
• The Gators are 5-6 at home, while posting an 0-10 record in away matchups. UF ranks second in the conference in 3-point field goals attempted and fourth in 3-point field goals made.
NEWS AND NOTES
• Junior Cierra Johnson has scored in double digits in her last five games and in 17 of the last 19 contests. She is currently first on the team with 14.5 points per game and in total assists with 64 through 22 games. Johnson is also the top-rebounding guard on the squad and third on the team with 4.6 per contest. At the beginning of SEC play, Johnson moved from shooting guard to starting at the point guard position with the injury to Jordan Lewis. Over those nine contests, Johnson is averaging 16.1 points (8th in SEC), 5.9 rebounds and 3.2 assists.
• Sophomore Jasmine Walker "Big Forty" has made great improvements this season with the Tide. The Montgomery, Ala. native, is currently the team's second leading scorer and leading rebounder with 13.5 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. Walker also leads the team with four double-doubles this season and has six games in which she has registered double-digit rebounds. At 38.6 percent from the three-point line, Walker is also first on the team in percentage and first in three-pointers made (39). Her 13.5 points ranks 18th in the league, while her 7.3 rebounds per contest ranks 14th in the SEC. In nine conference games, Walker is averaging 13.8 points per game which is 19th in the league. Walker has been on fire from beyond the arc in the last nine games, knocking down 22-of-49 (44.9 percent) from three-point land, which is fourth in the conference.
• Sophomore Ariyah Copeland's improvement can be spotted on the court and on the stat sheet. Through 22 games this season Copeland is tops on the team with 1.3 blocks per game (7th in SEC) and second on the squad with 6.8 rebounds (17th in SEC) per contest. Copeland is also putting up 8.0 points per game, compared to averaging three points a game a season ago. The Columbus, Ga., native is second on the team with three double-doubles this season and has started the last 13 games for the Tide.
• Getting off to a hot start has been key for the Tide this season, when leading at half UA is 10-0, while when trailing, 1-11.
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