The Gators will look to pick up their first victory of SEC play on Thursday evening against the Rebels.
Florida vs. RV Ole Miss
Game Information: Jan. 6 | 6 p.m. ET
Live Stream: SEC Network+<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.espn.com_watch_player-3Fid-3D5fdb0113-2D8cf5-2D4fe4-2Db9db-2D1704b3c6fcad&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=OoSmLS8nWlceKdomkk_YqXOr3t46MN_lIu00e_uIw4Y9nbX1SUuqNnS07_jwvKRQ&s=2Xzc67LdhGFlcEECloCEaEJcT6rOwds__Lkvrjv7t84&e= >
Radio: 98.1FM/850AM WRUF<https://www.wruf.com/listen-live/>
Live Stats: SIDEARM<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_sidearmstats_wbball_summary&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=OoSmLS8nWlceKdomkk_YqXOr3t46MN_lIu00e_uIw4Y9nbX1SUuqNnS07_jwvKRQ&s=IeCfMDY6mJqZLyoaD6rj19rVfHCnkobLmzd4–mtpkU&e= >
Game Notes: Florida<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_documents_2022_1_5_1-5F6-5FOle-5FMiss-5FNotes.pdf&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=OoSmLS8nWlceKdomkk_YqXOr3t46MN_lIu00e_uIw4Y9nbX1SUuqNnS07_jwvKRQ&s=084tfpcJLPWbrodRBwoSAG5bt9mZ-BuUtGdllqV43NQ&e= > | Ole Miss<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__olemisssports.com_documents_2022_1_4_14-5Fat-5FFlorida.pdf&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=OoSmLS8nWlceKdomkk_YqXOr3t46MN_lIu00e_uIw4Y9nbX1SUuqNnS07_jwvKRQ&s=or4Wu6EWwKNBqIsi1gFtJ4tcUe56SWi1EuSxFJTaLik&e= >
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – After narrowly falling to No. 15 Georgia on Sunday afternoon, Florida women’s basketball will look to get back into the victory column when they host Ole Miss in Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center at 6 p.m. ET on Thursday.
The game will be streamed live on SEC Network+ with Kyle Crooks and Brittany Davis on the call while Tom Collett and Kelly Davis will handle radio responsibilities on 98.1FM/850AM WRUF.
Thursday’s matchup will mark the 44th meeting between the Gators and Rebels, with UF owning a 24-19 series advantage. The Gators currently own a three-game winning streak in the series, most recently defeating the Rebels, 78-68, in Oxford, Miss., during the 2020-21 campaign.
Florida is coming off of a close loss to No. 15 Georgia on Sunday afternoon, when they fell to the Bulldogs 73-69. Jordyn Merritt had one of the best offensive games of her career, matching a career-high with 18 points. Veteran Kiara Smith filled the stat sheet, recording 17 points, eight rebounds, five assists and five steals while Nina Rickards contributed 15 points.
The Gators managed to lead for over 33 minutes in Sunday’s contest before Georgia pulled away late for the Southeastern Conference win. Georgia’s defense played a key role in the outcome, forcing Florida into 26 turnovers on the afternoon.
The Orange & Blue shot 81.8% in the first quarter against the Bulldogs, marking the second time this season that they’ve shot over 80% in one frame. It’s the first time that they’ve shot over 80% in multiple quarters in a season since transitioning to quarters during the 2015-16 campaign.
Smith’s defense has continued to stay at an elite level during the 2021-22 season, sitting at 11th nationally with a total of 40 steals on the year. She is also ranked 24th in the nation in steals per game, averaging 2.86 during each outing. Those numbers are good for third and fourth in the SEC, respectively.
Also of note for the Gators, Lavender Briggs continues to close-in on 1,000 career points. The Provo, Utah native is currently sitting at 961 points, just 39 points away from becoming the 27th member of the club at Florida. Briggs is currently 75th in the nation in field goals made at 75.
Ole Miss enters Thursday’s contest boasting a 12-1 record and is currently receiving votes in both the AP and USA Today Coaches polls. The Rebels missed their first two scheduled SEC games due to COVID-19 protocols.
– #GoGators –
