The Gators’ Southeastern Conference schedule comes to a head tonight.
At 6:30 p.m., Florida will face conference rival No. 11 Tennessee on the road. In the 49-game series leading up to tonight’s showdown, the Volunteers are an astonishing 46-3 against the Gators, who have won one game in 21 attempts in Knoxville, Tenn.
Florida hopes to snap its current two-game skid, but that is going to be the tallest of orders in front of a energetic Volunteer crowd, whose average turnout is 11,402 per home game.
“It’s very, very loud,” senior Jaterra Bonds said. “They’re going to be singing ‘Rocky Top’ all night long. It’s not going to be easy to play in, but you just got to keep your composure.
“Anytime on the road is going to be hostile — there’s going to be nasty fans, but you just can’t focus on that. Everybody’s going to make their runs and the crowd is going to be loud, but just staying together and staying composed is what’s going to get you through those types of moments.”
Practice this week is taking on a different spin for the Gators. The fundamentals of their game are surely being preached, but the environment that awaits them is certainly being addressed.
“I’m probably going to sing ‘Rocky Top’ during free throws and some other things to try and mess them up,” coach Amanda Butler said. “It’s one of those instances where you really have to rely on your leadership, your older players, to convey to Ronni (Williams) and Cassie (Peoples) and some of the ones that haven’t been in that environment yet, of what it’s going to be like and what it’s going to take as a team and as a unit. How important our huddles are, how important our timeouts will be, and that we’ve got to come out of those timeouts the better team, and just really trying to block out the things that don’t have anything to do with us.”
Thompson–Boling Arena should be especially raucous on Thursday. The Volunteers are fresh off a loss to No. 2 Notre Dame, and legendary coach emeritus Pat Summitt will be in the building as a part of “We Back Pat” week — a week-long initiative that’s focused on bringing awareness and recognition to The Pat Summitt Foundation and its fight against Alzheimer’s disease.
“Any team, when they’re coming off of a loss, is more dangerous,” redshirt sophomore Carlie Needles said. “They’re a little upset. They lost at home, which is very hard to do. Tennessee is a very tough, hostile environment to play in. They might have a little chip on their shoulder, but there’s always some chip on your shoulder after you lose. We’re just expecting their best play because everyone always plays their best against us.”
Butler and her Gators are prepared to enter the lion’s den, but the environment itself should not detract from Florida’s game plan.
“The first thing we’ve got to do is be ready for that environment,” Butler said.
“It’s loud, there’s going to be a whole bunch of people there, it’s ‘We Back Pat’ week. Pat will be there, so that adds to the energy. We’ve just got to be mentally ready for all of those things.”
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Jaterra Bonds looks for an opening during Florida’s 68-62 loss against Georgia on Jan. 19 in the O’Connell Center.
