Coach Amanda Butler said her team came back mentally refocused after Christmas.
Whatever the players did on their own time in that period has paid immediate dividends. UF is 3-0 after Christmas and looking to push that win streak to four games tonight when the team plays its first home Southeastern Conference game of the season against Auburn at 7 in the O’Connell Center.
“We had a bunch of kids that came back with renewed minds,” Butler said. “Maybe a little bit of a physical break helped them, but I think just a renewed spirit. We’re turning the page here, it’s a different part of the season.”
Before the Gators (8-6, 1-0 SEC) even step foot on the court, they’ll need to keep their concentration on the Tigers (9-5, 0-1 SEC) because mistakes are magnified in conference play, where many games come down to the last possession.
“There’s no gimme games,” guard Jennifer Mossor said. “You have to have extra sharpness because one turnover might cost you the game. One missed layup or one bad pass, or anything like that; you have to have that extra bit of focus you normally may not have.”
After opening up SEC play with a win in Fayetteville, Ark., the team is riding high — and is feeling the best it has about itself all season.
“There’s absolutely no replacement for the confidence a win gives you,” Butler said. “The way we’ve played after Christmas has been what we needed, more than anything.”
One of the most noticeable changes to take place over winter break on the court has been the attention the team has given to playing man-to-man defense instead of zone. Even with the shift in emphasis, Butler admitted that her team should be playing better zone defense than it has up to this point.
The switch to more man-to-man defense has paid off though, and Butler said that scheme will serve as the “backbone” of what the team does defensively from here on out, though she won’t limit her team to it.
“That’s hard to do in our league,” Butler said. “It’s hard to go toe-to-toe with every team you play and say, ‘We’re going to man up and be better than you.’ That’s very hard to do night in and night out.”
The Gators will test their man-to-man defense against Auburn, the defending SEC champs, which is on a two-game losing streak.
Unlike Florida’s last few opponents, whom have boasted smaller front courts, the Tigers are ready to unleash 6-foot-7 senior KeKe Carrier, who comes in averaging 13.6 points per game along with 7.7 rebounds and 30 blocked shots this season.
The Gators know it’s important for the team to build on its recent run of good form. The early part of the schedule pales in comparison to the importance of conference play because a strong showing in the SEC could book a spot in the postseason.
“The main goal is to get to the NCAA Tournament, and no matter what you do in non-conference (play), if you go above .500 in the SEC — because it’s the best league in the nation — you’re automatically going to get a look for the NCAA Tournament,” redshirt senior guard Susan Yenser said.
