Crashing the glass was a strength for Florida last season, and the Gators have picked up where they left off last March.
Florida’s 1,432 rebounds during the 2010-11 campaign ranked second in the Southeastern Conference only to Tennessee, which finished the year ranked No. 4 in the AP Poll.
This season, Florida (11-5, 1-2 SEC) again ranks second in the conference with 700 boards, averaging 43.3 per game heading into tonight’s road matchup at 7 p.m. against No. 19 Georgia (13-3, 2-1 SEC).
However, the Gators can become more effective rebounders by decreasing the disparity between offensive and defensive boards.
Florida boasts the best offensive rebounding percentage — calculated by dividing a team’s offensive boards by the sum of its offensive boards and its opponents’ defensive boards — in the SEC at 47.2
Conversely, the Gators rank next to last in the conference with a 62.2 defensive rebounding percentage. Arkansas has the highest mark at 68.5 percent.
Junior forward Jennifer George, who leads UF with 10.1 boards per game, has noticed that Florida’s effort on the offensive glass has been superior this season.
“We’re very tenacious going after the ball on offense,” George said. “You see your teammates shooting and you know where the ball’s going to come off of.”
Assistant coach Murriel Page has noticed the split, too. She suggests that grabbing an offensive rebound offers more instant gratification than pulling down an opponent’s miss.
“Everybody wants the ball on the offensive end because you want to put in points, but nobody wants to do it on the other end,” Page said.
Coach Amanda Butler has stressed throughout the season the need for perimeter players to aid in the rebounding game.
UF has been bolstered by a strong effort on the glass from senior guards Deana Allen and Lanita Bartley, who rank second and fourth on the team with 6.1 and 4.9 boards per game, respectively.
However, the rest of the guards have left something to be desired.
Senior guard Jordan Jones believes that improved effort from underperforming players will bring balance to the Gators’ rebounding.
“The guards need to do a better job of getting down there and helping,” Jones said. “It falls on us — the people who aren’t getting many rebounds — to help them out.”
Aside from George, the post players have also struggled to get their hands on the ball in the paint.
One player that UF will rely on to shore up the effort under the basket is center Azania Stewart, who is averaging only 5.6 boards per game.
Stewart showed signs of turning the corner with 10 rebounds against Kentucky, but regressed against Ole Miss (4) and South Carolina (2).
“She’s not making excuses or not taking responsibility,” Jones said. “She’s capable of it, she’s been there before. She’s a 6-foot-4 post player in the SEC, and we need more from her.”
Page says that improving rebounding has been a focus in practice, adding that consistency on the defensive boards is crucial to Florida’s identity.
“We’re a fast-break team, so there’s no other way to start a fast break than to get a big stop and get a quick rebound.”
Contact Joe Morgan at joemorgan@alligator.org.
