|
Home > SECWB News & More! > SEC Teams > Florida > Florida vs. Nebraska Preview
Florida vs. Nebraska Preview
by LeAnne Harrington, SECWB.com
Posted: November 16th, 2007 @ 10:51pm
The Florida Gators take their 2-0 start on the road when they face the Nebraska Cornhuskers (2-0) in Lincoln on Saturday evening, November 17. This will be the first Gator team to make the 1,115 mile trek to the land of the Cornhuskers, and marks only the second time these two teams have faced one another. Florida is out to avenge last season’s 81-73 loss in the championship game of Florida’s own State Farm Classic holiday tournament. Florida will be facing another tough non-conference foe in Nebraska: the Cornhuskers finished last season with a 22-10 record and a trip to the NCAA Tournament. The Huskers return 7 letter winners but only 2 starters from last year’s squad, but are off to a solid start this season, beating UTEP 81-74 and then thumping Ole Miss 80-59 this past Sunday. Florida’s 2-0 start came courtesy of a big win over Xavier 82-71, and then a tough battle against Robert Morris which the Gators finally pulled out by a score of 67-63.
Florida is led by junior forward Marshae Dotson, an undersized 5’11” who is getting it done in the paint. Through 2 games, Dotson is averaging 19.5 points and 12.5 rebounds while battling it out against taller opponents. On the perimeter, Depree Bowden and Brittaney Thomas have proven to be solid scoring threats. Bowden is the lone senior on this young Gator squad and is averaging 16.5 points, 7 rebounds and 3.5 assists. Thomas, a sophomore guard who has just made it into the starting lineup this season, is averaging 15.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3 assists. For her efforts, Thomas was named SEC Player of the Week on Nov.12, 2007.
Florida has been bitten by the injury bug in recent weeks, with sophomore Jennifer Mosser injuring a finger and fellow sophomore Sharielle Smith suffering a foot injury. Both have been sidelined since the week of October 29. Marshae Dotson had the tip of her nose broken in the win against Xavier, but hasn’t let it affect her play. But the biggest loss so far has been the injury to freshman forward Ndidi Madu, one of the Gators’ top performers off the bench who has given them a big presence in the paint. Madu tore the ACL in her right knee on Nov.11 in practice and will probably be out for the season.
Nebraska is led by Danielle Page, a 6’2” forward who is the Huskers’ only senior. Page is averaging 23 points and 8.5 rebounds through 2 games and was named Big 12 Player of the Week on Nov.12. Tay Hester, a 5’10” junior guard, is averaging 13 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 steals in her first season with the Huskers. Hester transferred to Nebraska after starring at Mt. San Antonio Junior College in California, where she was the MVP of the Junior College State Championships.
Probable starters for Florida (with season averages):
Marshae Dotson, 5’11” junior forward - 19.5 ppg, 12.5 rpg
Depree Bowden, 5’11” senior guard - 16.5 ppg, 7 rpg, 3.5 apg
Brittaney Thomas, 5’8” sophomore guard - 15.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 3 apg
Sha Brooks, 5’7” junior guard - 8 ppg, 1.5 apg
Aneika Henry, 6’3” junior center - 4.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 2.5 bpg
First off the bench:
Ebonie Crawford, 6’6” freshman center - 2 ppg, 3 rpg
Kim Critton, 5’7” junior guard - 3.5 ppg, 4 rpg
Probable starters for Nebraska (with season averages):
Danielle Page, 6’2” senior forward - 23 ppg, 8.5 rpg
Tay Hester, 5’10” junior guard - 13 ppg, 8 rpg, 6 apg, 3 spg
Kelsey Griffin, 6’2” junior forward - 8.5 ppg, 7 rpg, 6 apg
Yvonne Turner, 5’8” sophomore guard - 8 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 5 apg, 3 spg
Dominique Kelley, 5’7” freshman guard - 4.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 4 apg
First off the bench:
Kaitlyn Burke, 5’7” freshman guard - 11 ppg, 4 apg, 2 spg
Cory Montgomery, 6’2” sophomore forward - 8.5 ppg, 5 rpg
My prediction is this one is anybody’s game. Although Florida was picked to finish 11th in the SEC in the pre-season coaches poll, they have already shown a lot of fire and desire in their first two wins. But those wins were in the friendly confines of the O’Connell Center. If the Gators can pull off a win in a hostile environment against a tough foe like Nebraska, then they will serve notice to the rest of the league that they are a much better team than pre-season polls gave them credit for. Injuries may be a big factor in this one though, as Florida’s bench is looking pretty thin. With the loss of Madu, Florida will probably only dress 9 players. The Gators have got to stay out of foul trouble and keep their big guns in the game. Sha Brooks has got to step up and produce for the Gators to have a chance against Nebraska’s solid performers.
Game notes: Nebraska has an all-time 5-9 record against SEC teams.
Game time is set for 6:05 EST at Bob Devaney Sports Center in Lincoln. Free live audio and free streaming video access to this game can be found at Huskers.com.
|
|
|
|
