Dec. 26, 2009

Ohio vs. Florida Game Notes

ATHENS, Ohio - Coming off one of its best games of the season and a break for the Christmas holiday, Ohio returns to the court as it heads to the Sunshine State to take on Florida of the SEC Monday at 4:30 p.m. in the Stephen C. O'Connell Center.

BETWEEN THE LINES
• Ohio (3-8) and Florida (5-6) will be meeting for the third time in the all-time series and the second time in as many years. Florida won the last meeting 74-56 last season in Athens.
• The first meeting between the two teams took place Dec. 31, 1991 in Gainesville. The Gators won it 85-66.
• The `Cats will be looking to snap a five-game losing skid.
• According to available records, the `Cats will be facing an SEC team for the 12th time. Ohio is 1-10 against the conference, with its lone win coming over Kentucky Dec. 3, 1988 (80-77).

RECAPPING LAST GAME
The weather outside was cold and snowy, but Ohio turned up the heat inside the Convo and gave the ACC's Clemson all it could handle before coming up just short 89-81 in overtime. Carolyn Barnett scored a career-best 18 points and Jenny Poff notched 22 to lead four Bobcats in double figures ... Ohio's 81 points marked a season high and the `Cats' highest point total since Jan. 7 of last season. Ohio also shot a smoultering 58 percent from the field in the second half and forced Clemson into 21 turnovers. The `Cats got another strong outing from their bench with 22 points while also pulling down 45 rebounds and nabbing 13 steals. The charity line wasn't very charitable towards the Green and White as it finished at 52 percent from the stripe ... Poff's 22 led Ohio, as the senior also pulled down six rebounds and dished out a season-best six assists while tying a season-high four steals. Barnett also tied a career-best seven rebounds to go with her career-best 18, including 4-of-5 shooting from downtown. Kamille Buckner (Chicago, Ill.) scored a season-high 14 points and grabbed five rebounds to go with a block. Da'Keisha Mann added 11 points.

POFF TABBED MAC EAST POW
Poff enjoyed a solid all-around week last week to lead Ohio in a pair of games against UNC Wilmington and Clemson. She finished the week averaging 17.0 pts., 5.5 rebs., 3.5 assists and 3.5 steals while knocking down seven 3-pointers on 41 percent shooting from behind the arc. Against the Seahawks Thursday, Poff finished with 12 points on four treys while grabbing five rebounds and nabbing a team- and game-high three steals. The senior followed that up Sunday against Clemson with 22 points, including three 3-pointers and 7-of-8 shooting from the free throw line, to go with six rebounds and a season-high six assists. The St. John's, Mich, native also tied a season-best four steals, a game high.

NUMBERS TO NOTE
• .375 - Opponent's field goal percentage
• 24.0 - Ohio's average bench points the last three games
• .290 - Opponent's 3-point FG percentage
• 59.1 - Opponent's points per game

TOUGH D
Ohio has held eight of its 11 opponents under 60 points. The `Cats rank second in the MAC in scoring defense at 59.1 ppg.

POP OFF THE PINE
Ohio's bench has scored 20-plus points in each of the `Cats' last three games and are averaging 24.0 ppg. in this span.

CLOSING IN ON THE RECORD
Junior Kamille Buckner needs 3 blocks to tie and 4 blocks to break the school's all-time record held by Holly Skeen (115, 1991-95).

SCOUTING FLORIDA
The Gators enter the contest 5-6 on the season after falling 75-68 to High Point in their last game in Gainesville. Florida has lost three of its last five games overall coming into Monday's game ... The Gators are an athletic squad that likes to get up and down the floor and shoot a lot of 3-pointers. They are currently averaging 65.3 ppg. Defensively, they boast a solid squad that is holding the opposition to 60.9 ppg.

South Carolina transfer Jordan Jones leads the Gators in scoring at 11.9 ppg. The sophomore also leads the team in assists at 4.0 apg. Senior Sharielle Smith is averaging 9.5 ppg. and leads Florida in rebounding at 7.5 rpg. Steffi Sorensen is averaging 8.3 ppg. and 6.5 rpg. Head coach Amanda Butler is in her third year at the helm of the Gators.

SERIES HISTORY
Ohio and Florida will be meeting for the third time in the all-time series with the Gators having claimed both contests. Florida, ranked No. 18/20 at the time, pulled away early in the second half to win last year's showdown in Athens, 74-56. The two first met Dec. 31, 1991 in Gainesville, with Florida claiming a 85-66 victory.

OHIO & THE SEC
According to available records, Ohio will be facing an SEC team for the 12th time in its history. The `Cats are 1-10 against the conference all time, with its lone win coming over Kentucky Dec. 3, 1988 (80-77).

BARNETT GIVES BANG OFF BENCH
Carolyn Barnett has had her two best games off the season off the bench in Ohio's last three games. She is averaging 14.0 pts. and 5.0 rebs. while shooting 50 percent from behind the arc. • Against Duquesne, she tallied 13 points and grabbed six rebounds while blocking a career-high three shots.
• In Ohio's last game against Clemson, she tallied a career-best 18 pts. while tying a career-best seven rebounds to go with 4-of-5 shooting from behind the arc. Her four treys were also a career high.

THIA TOUGH ON GLASS
Thia Gholson is averaging 12.0 rebs. over her last two games. She tallied a career-best 14 against UNC Wilmington and then collected 10 against Clemson.