AUBURN, Ala. – Florida women’s basketball is set to play their third game on the road in as many attempts, traveling to Auburn, Ala., for a return trip to Auburn on Monday, Feb. 14 at 7 p.m. ET.
The game will be streamed live on SEC Network with Brenda VanLengen and Aja Ellison on the call, while Kyle Crooks and Brittany Davis will handle radio responsibilities on 98.1FM/850AM WRUF for the Gators.
Florida took the first meeting between the two teams, downing the Tigers 68-63 in Gainesville on Jan. 13. Kiara Smith led the Orange & Blue with 19 points, three rebounds and three assists while Alberte Rimdal and Nina Rickards each added 14 points. Aicha Coulibaly was the floor general for the Tigers, ending with 24 points and eight rebounds.
Smith’s defense has remained at an elite level during the 2021-22 season, sitting at 28th nationally with a total of 58 steals on the year. She is also ranked 51st in the nation in steals per game, averaging 2.42 during each outing. Those numbers are good for third and fourth in the SEC, respectively.
The Gators trail Auburn, 37-25, in the all-time series, but have claimed the last four matchups. The Tigers enter Monday’s most recently falling to Arkansas in a close battle, 68-66.
Florida snapped an eight-game losing skid to Mississippi State on Thursday evening, picking up their first victory in Starkville since Jan. 10, 2013 behind a 73-64 effort. Zippy Broughton led the Gators’ offensive effort, putting up 21 points while Emanuely de Oliveira added 13 and Smith put in 12. The Florida bench took advantage of the short-handed Bulldog sideline, outscoring the home team 24-1 off the bench.
After defeating Mississippi State, Florida earned their eighth conference win of the season, marking the earliest the Gators have reached eight wins in conference season since beginning 8-1 during the 2008-09 season. Florida has also now won eight SEC games, and five road SEC games, for the first time since the 2015-16 season when they finished with 10 conference wins and exactly five victories on the road.
The Orange & Blue’s victory over Mississippi State solidified the first time in school history that Florida has defeated Kentucky, Mississippi State, LSU, Tennessee and Georgia in the same season.
For the first time since December 2016, Florida entered the top 25 after victories over No. 7 Tennessee and No. 14 Georgia. The Gators entered at 19th in the AP poll and 23rd in the Coaches Poll.
– #GoGators –
