January 18, 2003
Florida looks to extend the second-best winning streak in school history as the sixth-ranked Gators face South Carolina at the Carolina Center.
The Gators (14-2, 3-0 Southeastern Conference) have won 10 straight, including a 77-64 win against Tennessee on Wednesday.
The wining streak, which was matched by the 1951-52 team, is the best in the SEC this season and has helped Florida match its second-best start in school history. The streak is also four short the school mark set last season.
Against Tennessee, Matt Bonner hit a season-high five 3-pointers and scored a season-high 25 points. David Lee added 14 points, and Brett Nelson had a season-high 13 points.
Anthony Roberson, who earned SEC Player of the Week honors on Monday for his 23-point performance last Saturday against Georgia, had eight points.
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``I think Tennessee is a basketball team that has played more zone than we have seen,'' coach Billy Donovan said. ``I was concerned about becoming 3 happy, but I think we did a good job working the ball around.''
Florida, which has hit 10 or more 3-pointers in five of its last seven games, finished 10-for-19 from behind the 3-point line, with five Gators scoring from long range.
Highly touted freshman Christian Drejer, who has been sidelined with a sprained left ankle, played for the first time this season. The 6-foot-9 guard from Denmark scored four points in seven minutes.
``For me, it's important to just go out there and be a part of the team,'' he said. ``It has been some really long weeks, and it's just a great feeling to be on the floor again.''
The Gamecocks (7-6, 1-2) come in off Wednesday's 67-60 loss to Auburn -- its fourth setback in six games.
Junior Rolando Howell had team highs of 15 points and 11 rebounds for his first double-double of the season and eighth of his career.
However, Carlos Powell, the team's leading scorer with 15.5 points per game, hurt his ankle in the second half. Powell, who, according to coach Dave Odom suffered a high ankle sprain, returned to the game, but was held to just six points.
Powell is listed as probable for Saturday's game after X-rays taken Thursday came back negative.
Including their 62-55 loss to Kentucky last Saturday, South Carolina plays five ranked opponents in seven games.
Florida leads the all-times series 23-17
Florida looks to extend the second-best winning streak in school history as the sixth-ranked Gators face South Carolina at the Carolina Center.
The Gators (14-2, 3-0 Southeastern Conference) have won 10 straight, including a 77-64 win against Tennessee on Wednesday.
The wining streak, which was matched by the 1951-52 team, is the best in the SEC this season and has helped Florida match its second-best start in school history. The streak is also four short the school mark set last season.
Against Tennessee, Matt Bonner hit a season-high five 3-pointers and scored a season-high 25 points. David Lee added 14 points, and Brett Nelson had a season-high 13 points.
Anthony Roberson, who earned SEC Player of the Week honors on Monday for his 23-point performance last Saturday against Georgia, had eight points.
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``I think Tennessee is a basketball team that has played more zone than we have seen,'' coach Billy Donovan said. ``I was concerned about becoming 3 happy, but I think we did a good job working the ball around.''
Florida, which has hit 10 or more 3-pointers in five of its last seven games, finished 10-for-19 from behind the 3-point line, with five Gators scoring from long range.
Highly touted freshman Christian Drejer, who has been sidelined with a sprained left ankle, played for the first time this season. The 6-foot-9 guard from Denmark scored four points in seven minutes.
``For me, it's important to just go out there and be a part of the team,'' he said. ``It has been some really long weeks, and it's just a great feeling to be on the floor again.''
The Gamecocks (7-6, 1-2) come in off Wednesday's 67-60 loss to Auburn -- its fourth setback in six games.
Junior Rolando Howell had team highs of 15 points and 11 rebounds for his first double-double of the season and eighth of his career.
However, Carlos Powell, the team's leading scorer with 15.5 points per game, hurt his ankle in the second half. Powell, who, according to coach Dave Odom suffered a high ankle sprain, returned to the game, but was held to just six points.
Powell is listed as probable for Saturday's game after X-rays taken Thursday came back negative.
Including their 62-55 loss to Kentucky last Saturday, South Carolina plays five ranked opponents in seven games.
Florida leads the all-times series 23-17
