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By JOANNE KORTH
© St. Petersburg Times, published February 24, 2001
WHEN/WHERE: 1; O'Connell Center, Gainesville.
TV/RADIO: Ch. 38; WFLA-AM 970.
RECORDS: UF 19-5, 9-4 SEC; Alabama 20-6, 8-5.
COACHES: UF -- Billy Donovan (97-54, fifth season; 132-74 overall). Alabama -- Mark Gottfried (50-37 third season; 118-61).
KEY PLAYERS: UF -- Matt Bonner, F, 6-9 So. (13.0 ppg, 7.5 rpg); Udonis Haslem, C, 6-8 Jr. (16.4 ppg, 7.1 rpg); Brett Nelson, G, 6-3 So. (15.1 ppg, 4.4 apg). Alabama -- Erwin Dudley, F, 6-8 So. (14.5 ppg, 9.7 rpg); ; Terrance Meade, G, 6-2 So. (10.6 ppg, 2.9 rpg); Rod Grizzard, G, 6-8 So. (17.9 ppg, 5.8 rpg).
NOTES: Florida has won eight of nine, including four in a row against ranked opponents, and looks to become the sixth UF team to win 20 regular-season games. ... Senior forward Brent Wright is questionable after aggravating his injured right foot in Wednesday's 75-55 victory against Mississippi. A screw was surgically inserted in the foot in January to help repair a stress fracture. ... Alabama, one of the league's biggest surprises, also is one of its youngest teams. The Tide starts five sophomores, including three -- Dudley, Meade and Grizzard -- who started as freshmen. An indication of that youth, however, is a 1-5 record on opponents' home courts, including a 72-69 overtime loss at Auburn on Wednesday. Alabama is 1-21 in away games since January 1999, the only win coming at LSU on Jan. 6. The Tide has not won in Gainesville since 1995. ... Alabama is 1-2 against ranked teams this season, beating Mississippi and losing to Cincinnati and Tennessee. ... UF has won 13 straight regular-season games against SEC Western Division teams and looks to sweep the West for the second straight season. -- Compiled by Joanne Korth.