UF Women’s Basketball Team Days Away From Season-Opener

In 10 short days, the UF women’s basketball team will get back to chomping on the court. The first game requires them to take their talents up north to face Temple University on Friday, November 13th. In the meantime, the team is working on discovering their identity and keeping the focus on themselves. Head coach Amanda Butler says that the team will transition to focusing on Temple once they get closer to game time.

While searching for their identity, the team is making tremendous growth. According to Butler, this year could be very successful on all perimeters of the court.

Being successful in all of NCAA women’s basketball this year means adjusting to new rules. The major change from previous seasons would be the addition of four quarters with 10 minutes of playing time in each quarter as opposed to playing two 20 minute halves. The Gators are continuing to watch film from professional teams to get an idea of how this will impact their game plan. The UF coaching staff is finding the fun in enforcing new rules because it gives them a chance to teach something new at the college level.

Four quarters might not be the only thing the team will be adding to the game plan this season. Last season, the combination of having two guards on the court, Cassie Peoples and Carlie Needles, seemed to be a success. With leading the team from behind the perimeter in three-point percentages, Needles averaging 45 percent and Peoples averaging 30 percent, the two guards have put up a lot of points and miles up and down the court. Coach Butler hinted at possibly having some new combinations on the court this season.

With a lot of off-season practices under the team’s belt, freshman guard Eleanna Christinaki is transitioning to college play very well. Christinaki being from Athens, Greece, may not understand all of coach Butler and the team’s southern terminology, however she does know how to pass the ball up and down the court.

The new season will start in just a few short days.