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Friday, April 26, 2024

They're doing it again.

No. 11 UF (20-2, 6-1 Southeastern Conference) is on another winning streak, not yet as long as the first, but all of these wins have been against conference foes.

The number currently sits at five, and tonight at 7 the Gators will try to boost that figure to six when they travel to take on a reeling Alabama (12-10, 0-7 SEC) team.

Of course, UF coach Amanda Butler doesn't get caught up in all the hoopla of winning streaks.

"I don't think we sit here and think about, 'Well, if we win Thursday, that'll be six in a row,'" Butler said. "We're just really focused every single time on let's win the next one. If you keep your focus really simple, that's when you tend to see those things happen."

After the Gators' loss in the first game of the season at Florida Gulf Coast, they reeled off 15 straight victories.

If they were to go on an equal streak now, they would hold the SEC regular season and tournament titles, with the 15th game being the tournament championship.

"That would be nice," junior guard Susan Yenser said. "A double 15-game winning streak."

Since UF's second loss of the year at then-No. 9 Auburn on Jan. 11, UF has manhandled five SEC opponents by an average of 16.4 points per game, the closest win by 14 at South Carolina.

More importantly, two of those wins came on the road, and that is probably the biggest challenge the Gators will face against the Crimson Tide.

"Our hardest task in the SEC is to play on the road," Yenser said. "So we don't take anybody lightly on the road. We just know that we've got to bring it night in and night out against any SEC opponent. Anybody can beat anybody."

It's that type of mentality that has allowed UF to pick up the pieces after losses and get back to work.

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Yenser has noticed that when her team drops a game, there is no letdown in preparing for the next one.

"I think this is by far the hardest-working team that I've ever been a part of, as far as practice goes," Yenser said. "When we lose, it's not like we hang our heads. We can't wait to get back on the practice court the next day."

The Gators are currently tied with Auburn and Vanderbilt for first place in the SEC, and with a showdown against No. 12 Tennessee looming on Sunday, they can't afford to look ahead.

If history is any indication, UF will likely remain focused on Alabama and keep its second winning streak alive.

"As a team we respond to that defeat," Yenser said. "We did it with Florida Gulf Coast in the beginning of the season. Coach told us in the locker room after Auburn, 'Hey, this isn't the end of the world. Look what ya'll did last time we lost. Make it just fuel you.'

"So that's what we do."

It appears so. The only thing that remains in question is how long this streak will last.

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