<strong>Florida</strong> take an 87-80 lead and make it a threepossessiongame.George is the first Gator to reach the scoringmilestone was Marshae Dotson (2005-09),who scored her 1,000th career point on Feb.10, 2008 <strong>vs</strong>. Mississippi State and finished hercareer with 1,529 points.Tough Shooting StretchDuring the Gator’s back-to-back losses, theteam converted a mere 15.6 percent (5-32) of itsthree-point attempts.News from the Training RoomFreshman guard Chandler Cooper playedin the first three games of the year but has beensidelined since with a foot injury. Her return datehas not been determined.Redshirt-freshman Viktorija Dimaite torethe ACL in her left knee during practice on Nov.3 and will miss the 2012-<strong>13</strong> season.Injuries to Cooper and Dimaite, plus thenews that redshirt-freshman Cassie Peopleswould not be granted immediate eligibility thisyear by the NCAA, has left the Gators with nomore than nine players suiting up for the everygame since the third one of the year.Fans Get their Money’s Worth!<strong>Florida</strong> has played 64 games over the lastthree-plus seasons with out<strong>com</strong>es decidedby 10 points or less - that’s an AVERAGE of18.3 games per season of thrillers! <strong>Florida</strong> is34-30 record in those tight ballgames, including5-4 this year and five <strong>SEC</strong> games (2-3)Seventeen games fit into that category duringthe 2011-12 season, when UF posted a 7-10record.10 of UF’s 16 <strong>SEC</strong> regular-season gamesin 2011-12 were decided by six points or less,with 11 of 16 by decided by single digits.Twenty-three of UF’s program-record 35games during the 2010-11 season were decidedby 10 points or fewer, with 16 being six-point differences- including the final two of the season.The Gators were 14-9 in games decided by 10points or less in 2010-11.During the 2009-10 season, the Gatorsplayed 15 games decided by fewer than 10points and posted an 8-7 in those outings.Non-<strong>SEC</strong> Home GamesThe Gators boast an impressive 48-5home record against non-conference teamsunder head coach Amanda Butler.Non-ConfYear Home Record2007-08 11-12008-09 8-02009-10 6-32010-11 8-02011-12 7-12012-<strong>13</strong> 8-0Impressive Stats from Opening Weekend<strong>Florida</strong> scored 71 points off turnovers inits first two games, forcing opponents into 52turnovers. The Gators also totaled 33 steals intheir first two games.Coach Butler Earns 100th Win at UF<strong>Florida</strong>’s 84-65 win against Georgia Stateon Nov. 11 was Amanda Butler’s 100th coachingvictory with the Gators.Butler joins Carol Ross as the only twocoaches in Gator history to guide <strong>Florida</strong> to 100wins. Ross finished with <strong>24</strong>7 wins in 12 years.The 98 wins Butler accumulated during herfirst five seasons with the Gators are the mostby any coach in program history through theirfirst five years at UF.Let’s Get it StartedIn <strong>Florida</strong>’s season-opener, Jaterra Bondsstarted her team-leading 34th consecutivegame, while redshirt-junior Lily Svete earnedher first collegiate start.Freshman Sydney Moss became thefirst rookie to start her Gator debut since KaylaLewis was on the floor for the season-openingtip for the 2010-11 campaign. Lewis started onFriday for her eighth career start, while juniornew<strong>com</strong>er Vicky McIntyre jumped centeragainst Fairfield.Moss was BossFreshman Sydney Moss had quite theimpressive collegiate debut, just missing a tripledouble,as she recorded 9 points, 10 reboundsand 9 assists against Fairfield.The nine assists set the record for a Gatordebut, breaking the previous mark of six set bySarah Lowe (2002-03), Brandi McCain (1998-99) and Amanda Butler (1990-91).She became just the seventh Gator - andthird freshman - to collect at least 10 reboundsin a debut. The other two freshmen wereOlympian Tammy Jackson (1981-82) and 2004WNBA first-round draft pick Vanessa Hayden(2000-01).Get Your Roster Card Ready!Eight of the 12 players on the 2012-<strong>13</strong>roster have never suited up as a Gator! Yes,EIGHT!There are two freshmen (Viktorija Dimaiteand Carlie Needles) who redshirted last yearand never played a minute.There are four true freshmen (ChandlerCooper, Christin Mercer, <strong>Jan</strong>uary Miller andSydney Moss), who <strong>com</strong>prise the nation’s 20thrankedrecruiting class, per ESPN-HoopGurlz.And there are two transfers: Vicky Mc-Intyre, a junior from Oklahoma State who iseligible to play this year and Cassie Peoples,a redshirt freshman who will have to sit out the2012-<strong>13</strong> season per NCAA rules for transfers.And They Aren’t the Only New<strong>com</strong>ers!Also new to the Gators this season is assistantcoach Angela Crosby, who spent the2011-12 season at Charlotte and the three previousyears at Virginia Tech.Early <strong>SEC</strong> AccoladesJennifer George was named preseasonFirst Team All-<strong>SEC</strong> by a panel of <strong>SEC</strong> andnational sports media.The <strong>SEC</strong> media and College Sports Madnesspoll have the same five players selected totheir respective First Team. George was joinedon the first team by Kentucky’s A’dia Mathies,Vanderbilt’s Christina Foggie, Georgia’s AnneMarie Armstrong and Texas A&M’s Kelsey Bone.Jennifer George WATCH-ingtonPreseason All-America Candidate2012-<strong>13</strong> Honors*Gator Holiday Classic All-Tournament Team*Naismith Player of the Year Early SeasonWatch List (1 of 50)*Senior CLASS Award candidate (1 of 30)*Preseason First Team All-<strong>SEC</strong> (Media, 1 of5)*Preseason First Team All-<strong>SEC</strong> CollegeSports Madness (1 of 5)*Scored 1,000th career point (Dec. 7, 2012<strong>vs</strong>. Pacific; her 109th career game; 21stGator to reach scoring milestone)*topped 900-career point plateau (at <strong>Florida</strong>State, Nov. 15, 2012)Additional Notes & HighlightsTEAM*extended overall home winning streak to15 games, the fourth-longest streak inprogram history*won the Gator Holiday Classic (17th time in21 years a team champion has beencrowned)*allowed Savannah State (Dec. 20) just <strong>13</strong>first half points, tied for the fifth-fewestby an opponent in program history andfewest points since Southern Universityscored <strong>13</strong> in the second half on Dec.20, 2009* advanced to the championship game of theGator Holiday Classic for the 23rd time,every year of the event* the 50-point win <strong>vs</strong>. Savannah State (Dec.20) was the second-largest margin ofvictory for <strong>Florida</strong> under Coach Butler,behind the 57-point win <strong>vs</strong>. AlabamaState (95-38) on Dec. 20, 2010Amanda Butler*Recorded her 150th career coaching at(<strong>Jan</strong>. 6 <strong>vs</strong>. LSU, 77-72)*Recorded 100th coaching win at UF (Nov. 11<strong>vs</strong>. Georgia State, 84-65)Jaterra Bonds*tied UF record by hitting 11-of-11 free throwsat Kentucky (<strong>Jan</strong>. 3)*made 12 free throws <strong>vs</strong>. Pacific (Dec. 7),tied for fourth-most in a game in programhistory*attempted 15 free throws <strong>vs</strong>. Pacific (Dec.7), tied for ninth most in a game inprogram historyCarlie Needles*South Point Thanksgiving Shootout All-Tournament Team (Las Vegas)*Set UF record with 9 three-pointers in agame (<strong>vs</strong>. North <strong>Florida</strong>, Nov. 19; broke20-year-old record of 8 set by BridgetPettis <strong>vs</strong>. Georgia, 1/20/93)*Tied for second-most three-pointers ina game in <strong>SEC</strong> history (9 <strong>vs</strong>. North<strong>Florida</strong>, Nov. 19)Sydney Moss*Gator Holiday Classic MVP*<strong>SEC</strong> Freshman of Week, Dec. 10*Dished Gator-debut record 9 assistsGAME 20: GATORS host the Lady Rebels // <strong>Thu</strong>rsday, <strong>Jan</strong>uary <strong>24</strong>
Perfect 10The Gators will have 10 players availablefor the season after redshirt-freshman ViktaDimaite tore her ACL and medial meniscus ofher left knee during practice on Nov. 3 and willmiss the season. Cassie Peoples is required tosit out the 2012-<strong>13</strong> season per NCAA rules fortransfer students.Nine was Just FineThe Gators had just nine players availablefor the season-opener against Fairfield, with sixof those new<strong>com</strong>ers, including five freshmen!Quick Season PreviewA 2012 First Team All-Southeastern Conferenceperformer, Jennifer George headlines avery young and inexperienced 2012-<strong>13</strong> <strong>Florida</strong>women’s basketball team (ranked as the fifthmostinexperienced team in the country) thatis <strong>com</strong>ing off its fifth consecutive postseasonberth.George is the lone senior on the 12-playerroster that features eight new<strong>com</strong>ers, includingsix freshmen. George, who led <strong>Florida</strong> inscoring (12.8 ppg) and rebounding (8.8 rpg) lastyear, will be joined on the court by junior guardJaterra Bonds, who was the only Gator whoplayed and started all 33 games a year agowhen <strong>Florida</strong> <strong>com</strong>piled its third 20-win seasonin five years with coach Amanda Butler at thehelm and advanced to the second round of theNCAA Tournament where it bowed out to eventualnational champion Baylor.The Gators graduated five players from lastyear’s team, including 2012 Olympian AzaniaStewart, who used her 6-foot-4 frame to rankthird all-time among the program’s shot blockers.While <strong>Florida</strong> will miss Stewart’s sizeinside, the Gators wel<strong>com</strong>e 6-foot-7 transferVicky McIntyre and 6-foot-4 redshirt freshmanViktorija Dimaite to the paint to help Georgein the front court. <strong>Florida</strong> also wel<strong>com</strong>ed thenation’s 20th-ranked signing class to campus,as the Gators will be young in 2012-<strong>13</strong> but verytalented.Unfortunately for the Gators, Dimaite torethe ACL in her left knee during practice on Nov.3 and will miss the 2012-<strong>13</strong> season.Bonus Butler ByteCoach Butler has led the Gators to three20-win seasons in her five years on the sideline.There have been 12 total 20-win seasons inprogram history, including Butler’s three.GAME 20: GATORS host the Lady Rebels // <strong>Thu</strong>rsday, <strong>Jan</strong>uary <strong>24</strong>
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