UF coach Cam Newbauer sends guard Delicia Washington onto the court Tuesday. Washington scored 14 points and grabbed eight rebounds for the Gators. (Photo: Tim Casey/UAA Communications)
Gators to go as Guards Nakkasoglu and Washington go
Tuesday, November 6, 2018 | Women's Basketball, Scott Carter
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By: Scott Carter, Senior Writer
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – What happened Tuesday afternoon at the O'Dome is the way it could go much of the season for the Florida women's basketball team.
The Gators opened their second season under head coach Cam Newbauer with a 60-58 loss to Gardner-Webb of the Big South Conference. The Bulldogs rallied over the final 1:16 to score the game's last seven points and win the first matchup between the programs, the go-ahead shot a flip toward the basket in traffic by Savannah Plentovich that somehow dropped through.
In a massive rebuilding project, the Gators are a long way from the top of the Southeastern Conference. The league's coaches picked Florida to finish 12th in their preseason poll. Nakkasoglu
Newbauer used nine players in the rare 11 a.m. start for the inaugural Field Trip Day, which included hundreds of elementary students from the area in attendance. They cheered, waved streamers and looked as if they were thrilled not to be at school.
Of those nine players, seven had never appeared in a game for the Gators.
The two who had – guards Funda Nakkasoglu and Delicia Washington – combined for 36 points, or 62 percent of the Gators' production. That's what I mean by saying this is the way it likely will go much of the season.
Nakkasoglu and Washington form a one-two punch on a team without much punching power.
"They are in a completely different realm, what is being asked of them in terms of leadership, in terms of on the court, off the court,'' Newbauer said. "I think they are doing terrific job of trying to do the best they can in that role."
Gators head coach Cam Newbauer talks to his team during Tuesday's game. (Photo: Tim Casey/UAA Communications)
Nakkasoglu scored a game-high 22 points, hitting 9 of 17 shots and 3 of 7 from 3-point range. Despite a pair of turnovers that aided the Bulldogs in turning a five-point deficit into a two-point lead in the final minute and a half, the Gators had the ball and a chance to win in the final seconds.
The play Newbauer drew up didn't exactly go as planned, but in the end, Nakkasoglu had the ball and a chance to win the game at the buzzer. Her long 3-pointer bounced off the rim and set off a midcourt celebration by the Bulldogs in their first game under head coach Alex Simmons, who played at Tennessee for late Hall of Fame coach Pat Summitt.
A redshirt senior who transferred to UF from Utah State two years ago, Nakkasoglu had a good look.
"I think you always just always have to be confident within yourself when your number is called to take a shot like that,'' she said. "I practice those shots in case my number is called and having my teammates behind me, having my coaches behind me, you just have to go in there confident. When I pulled the shot, I was as confident as any other shot I took in the game. Some days they are going to go in and some days they are going to miss."
Newbauer was pleased the Gators at least got a shot off after a rash of turnovers – and 26 for the game – derailed any chance at a comfortable win when they went up 58-53 on Washington's jumper with 1:35 left.
"It was probably deeper than we wanted, but she can hit those shots, so I'll take that for a chance to win it,'' he said. "We wanted a 3 to try and win it. We didn't want to go to overtime with these guys on our home floor."
Coming off an 11-19 season in his first year in Gainesville, Newbauer revamped the roster as much as he could. It's going to take time for his vision of the program to come to fruition.
While he rides out the storm, he'll lean heavily on Nakkasoglu and Washington. Nakkasoglu played 38 minutes and Washington 29. Washington scored 14 points and added eight rebounds.
A redshirt junior from Baker County High about an hour away from campus in Macclenny, Fla., Washington understands how heavily Newbauer will rely on her and Nakkasoglu.
""Me and Funda have been through this,'' she said. "We've got to teach the newcomers and even the transfers and freshmen the roles Coach Cam likes to [use]. We've just basically got to stick together and fight it off and just show them what it takes to be in the SEC and what it takes to get to the next level."
Besides the play of Nakkasoglu and Washington, forward Zada Williams was a huge positive for the Gators on Tuesday. In her UF debut, Williams made 6 of 9 shots to score 12 points and grab a game-high 10 rebounds.
Newbauer said he'll take that production from the University of Miami transfer every game. What Newbauer wants Sunday when the Gators return to action at Florida State is better communication on the floor.
Too many bad passes. Too many defensive lapses. Too many turnovers. Not enough talk on the court.
There will be lumps. Newbauer already knew that prior to tip-off and Gardner-Webb handed out the first of the new season.
As the Bulldogs celebrated, Newbauer pulled his team together for a final word. They could have easily won with better play down the stretch and everyone knew it.
"That's got to be awesome for her and her program,'' Newbauer said of Simmons. "They outplayed us in a number of areas. It's frustrating. Nobody likes to lose, but it's part of the game and we'll take it and learn from it and get better."
The results might turn in their favor as the newcomers find their roles the way Nakkasoglu and Washington have.
