Who/When/Where: UF (4-3) at Louisville (3-2),
2 p.m., Freedom Hall, Louisville, Ky.
Last Time Out:
UF lost 75-64 at Jacksonville Monday
Louisville won 80-53 vs. UT
"color: rgb(35, 31, 32);">Chattanooga on Nov. 24
Last Meeting:
Dec. 21, 2006: Louisville defeated UF 77-60
in Gainesville
Projected Starters:
Louisville:
"color: rgb(35, 31, 32);">F Candyce Bingham (6-1, Jr.)
"color: rgb(35, 31, 32);">F Angel McCoughtry (6-1, Jr.)
"color: rgb(35, 31, 32);">C Chauntise Wright (6-3, Jr.)
"color: rgb(35, 31, 32);">G Patrika Barlow (5-6,
Sr.)
G
Brandie Radde (5-11, So.)
UF:
F Marshae Dotson (5-11, Jr.)
F Sharielle Smith (5-10, So.)
OR C Aneika Henry (6-3, Jr.)
G Lonnika Thompson (5-4, So.) OR G Brittaney
Thomas (5-8, So.)
G Sha Brooks (5-7, Jr.)
G Depree Bowden (5-11, Sr.)
For what it's worth, my guesses are Smith and
Thomas for the Gators.
Why Louisville Might Win:
This one will be interesting because it's the
Cardinals first home game of the season and certainly their most
difficult opponent so far. Louisville's most impressive win so far
would have to be a 25-point neutral-site victory vs. Delaware. That
still doesn't say much. They do have some good height down low,
including McCoughtry who was Big East Player of the Year last year.
Yeah that's right, McCoughty does play in the same conference as
Connecticut and Rutgers, so this girl can obviously play. Barlow's
average of 9.2 assists per game is ridiculous, no matter whom
they've played. Oh, and the Cardinals are 41-3 at home over the
past three years, including 21 of its last 22.
Why UF Might Win:
Once again it all depends what team steps up.
If it's the Gators team that beat Xavier and played Florida State
tough, then they can certainly play with Louisville and even
possibly pull it out. UF needs some consistency out of the point
guard position, whether it's Thompson or Thomas. Both played pretty
well early in the season with Thomas really stepping up her game
from last year. As of late that hasn't been the case and Thomas has
seen her playing time take a plummet as she's had difficulties
running the offense and taking control of the game.
Final Word:
I know it's only December, but I can't imagine
a team who doesn't win a road non-conference game making it into
the NCAA Tournament. The Gators are currently 0-2 heading into
today, losing at Nebraska and Jacksonville. UF will have only one
more road game after today (Jan. 5 against Temple). Today, it will
be looking to beat a Louisville team that's lost only three games
at home over the last three years, so it won't be easy. The Gators
have beaten some teams with height (see: Xavier). They've actually
had more difficulty with teams similar to them (see: Jacksonville,
Stetson, Robert Morris). Hard to figure out. Dotson needs to play
well and stay out of foul trouble and needs to at least come close
to matching the line that McCoughtry will put up. Then again this
UF team hasn't made sense all year, so it would probably figure
that they might win against a team that doesn't lose at home. We'll
see what happens.
I'm here in Louisville, so I'll provide some
live blogging if I have Internet access.
