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Florida basketball: Gator women announce non-conference slate

By Matthew Clark

DES MOINES, IOWA - MARCH 23: The Florida Gators band performs against the Michigan Wolverines during the second half in the second round game of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Wells Fargo Arena on March 23, 2019 in Des Moines, Iowa. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
DES MOINES, IOWA - MARCH 23: The Florida Gators band performs against the Michigan Wolverines during the second half in the second round game of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Wells Fargo Arena on March 23, 2019 in Des Moines, Iowa. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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The Florida women’s basketball team have announced their non-conference slate for the 2019-20 season that includes teams from the Big South, Big 10 and the Atlantic Coast Conference.

It should be a very exciting non-conference schedule for the Florida women’s basketball team this season.

The Gators finished 8-23 last season and 3-13 in the Southeastern Conference, draw teams from the Big South, Big 10 and Atlantic Coast Conference as part of their non-conference schedule, according to the university.

Eight of their 13 non-conference games will be played at Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. Two of those road games will be played in West Palm Beach as part of the West Palm Invitational in late December.

"“We are excited to open the 2019-20 season playing six of our first seven games in front of Gator Nation in Exactech Arena. Eight total home games in the non-conference slate will provide our fans with a number of opportunities to see us compete against some very good teams. Once again our schedule will provide a number of very challenging games at home and away in some great environments all which will help prepare us for the SEC season,” Head coach Cameron Newbauer said, according to the university. “We are still months away from the start of practice and our team is working hard and diligently in the off-season to compete at the highest level this year.”"

https://twitter.com/GatorsWBK/status/1143868360494419969

Florida basketball will open the season with an exhibition game at Grambling State followed by six straight home games.

On Nov. 10, the Gators will host the Longwood Lancers. Last season, the Lancers posted a 3-27 overall record while going 2-16 in the Big South.

Six days later, Florida basketball will play host to the Samford Bulldogs. The Bulldogs posted a 10-20 overall record last season and finished 5-9 in the Southern Conference. Samford was 0-2 against the Southeastern Conference last season — losing to Auburn and Vanderbilt on the road.

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Samford is coached by first-year head coach Carley Kuhns.

The Bulldogs did defeat the Gators’ next opponent last season. On Nov. 18., Florida will host the Presbyterian Blue Hose. Presbyterian reached the second round of the Big South Conference tournament last season before falling to No. 1-ranked Radford.

Following the game with Samford, Florida will enter the toughest part of its non-conference schedule when they host Indiana on Nov. 22.

Last season, the Hoosiers finished 21-13 overall and 8-10 in the Big 10. They defeated the Gators, 83-64 in November at Bloomington. After losing to No. 2-seed Iowa in the Big 10 tournament, Indiana earned a bid to the NCAA National Tournament.

They defeated No. 7-seeded Texas in the Eugene, Oregon regional before falling 91-68 to Oregon in the second round.

Four days after hosting Indiana, the Gators will take on in-state rival Florida State on Nov. 26.

The Seminoles posted a 24-9 overall record last season while finishing 12-3 in the ACC. They defeated the Gators, 63-56 back in November last season. Seminoles’ head coach Sue Semrau will be entering her 23rd season at the helm in Tallahassee.

On Dec. 1, the Gators will host Florida A&M. Last season, the Rattlers lost to Florida, 62-38 at Gainesville. After that loss, the Rattlers went 1-13 overall before beating Savannah State in February.

Florida basketball will travel to Lawrence, Kansas to take on the Kansas Jayhawks as part of the SEC/Big 12 Challenge on Dec. 8.

The last two home games of the non-conference slate will be Dec. 17 against Mercer and Dec. 29 against Davidson. Last season, the Gators dropped a 92-82 decision at Mercer. Mercer finished 25-8 overall last season and posted a 14-0 Southern Conference record.

After winning the SoCon tournament, Mercer fell 66-61 to Iowa in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

Mercer has been coached by former Gator assistant Susie Gardner since 2010.

Davidson finished last season 17-15 overall and 10-6 in the Atlantic 10 Conference tournament.

In between games with Mercer and Davidson, the Gators will travel to West Palm Beach to face Xavier and Wake Forest in the West Palm Invitational, Dec. 20-21.

Next. Florida football: Gators vs. Heismans. dark

Last season, the Gators went 0-2 — losing to Utah and UNLV — in the Duel in the Desert in Las Vegas.