The 19th-ranked University of Florida women's basketball team overcame a six point deficit with under three minutes remaining in regulation to defeat interstate rival Florida State 78-74 in overtime.
The win was UF's 38th consecutive against an instate opponent, and its 13th straight against the Seminoles. The Lady Gators have not lost to another team from the Sunshine State since February 16, 1993, when Florida Atlantic – led by current WNBA star Yolanda Griffith – topped Florida 84-63.
FSU's last win in the series was a 90-78 overtime decision back on December 15, 1991.
"The difference in the game was our defensive press and transition game," UF head coach Carol Ross said. "In our two losses, we learned that we were a better pressing team than we thought. We got a number of turnovers tonight off our traps."
The victory ended a two-game slide for the Lady Gators, who improved to 3-2 this season, while FSU fell to 4-1.
UF freshman Tishona Gregory earned the first start of her career, and didn't disappoint, contributing 15 points with five assists and a pair of steals while playing all 45 minutes in the victory.
"Tishona plays with no fear and plays hard and she showed that tonight," Ross said. "She stepped up when we needed her to tonight and was instrumental in our victory."
Brandi McCain and Vanessa Hayden led UF with 19 points each. Hayden added 15 rebounds, while McCain dished four assists in 45 minutes of work. Junior Courtney Cooper tallied 14 points with eight rebounds and six steals.
"Brandi and Vanessa are the leaders of our team and they stepped up down the stretch," Ross said. "When we needed the big shot or the made free throw, they gave it to us."
FSU's Shinikki White led all scorers with 28 points, while Tasheika Morris added 24 in a losing effort.
FSU's Morris scored the first point of overtime from the free throw line, but Courtney Cooper skied and putback an offensive rebound to give UF a 68-67 lead. Cooper then stole the ball and dribbled for a full court, but missed the layup and was injured on the play. It was costly for UF, as Shinikki Whiting came down the floor and nailed a 3-pointer with just four defenders on the court for UF.
Vanessa Hayden then hit one free throw, but Whiting answered with a bucket to give FSU a 72-69 lead with 3 minutes remaining. That's when the Lady Gators went on a 6-0 run capped by a fade-away jumper with 40 seconds left to put UF in the lead, 77-74.
Whiting missed a trey from the top of the key, but Morris collected the rebound. Her shot was off the mark and UF grabbed the miss.
Freshman Tishona Gregory missed a pair of free throws with 18.3 seconds remaining and FSU raced down the floor. Whiting and Morris each missed their respective 3-pointers and FSU was forced to foul Brandi McCain, who sealed the game by hitting one free throw with 2 seconds remaining.
Florida opened the second half on a 7-2 run to extend its four-point halftime lead to 40-31. FSU's Tasheika Morris hit a layup followed by Shinikki Whiting's 3-pointer from the right corner to end the Lady Gator run. UF freshman Tishona Gregory answered with her third trey of the game from the top of the arc to put UF back up by nine with 15:07 remaining in the game.
The teams traded buckets over the next two minutes until FSU ripped off a 6-0 run capped by another 3-pointer from Whiting to tie the game at 46-46 with 11:51 to play.
Monique Cardenas finally ended the Seminole spree with a driving layup, but Morris followed with a 10-foot jumper. Courtney Cooper hit a jumper, but again it was Morris who answered, this time with a pair of free throws. Vanessa Hayden's power layup put UF in the lead again, but Morris hit her 10th field goal of the game to tie the score at 52-52 with 9:07 remaining.
Florida came up with a steal and called a timeout to save its possession, but Brandi McCain's inbounded pass was stolen by Whiting who converted the layup to give FSU's its first lead of the game since the opening bucket. McCain added one free throw to get UF within one (54-53) with 8:03 remaining.
Neither team scored in their next two possessions, until Whiting's slashing layup gave FSU a 56-53 advantage with 6:39 to go. Hayden added one free, but Petra Hoffman hit a backdoor layup and Katelyn Vujas nailed a pair of free throws to give the Seminoles a 60-54 lead with 5:43 remaining. McCain answered with a soft jumper from the corner, but FSU scored the next two field goals to take a 64-56 lead with 3:53 on the clock.
Tishona Gregory hit from just inside the arc, as UF stayed within six points (64-58). FSU turned the ball over and Hayden put back a missed shot to bring the Lady Gators within four (64-60) with 3:27 remaining. Hayden then missed the front end of a 1-and-1, but Cardenas hit one of two from the stripe.
FSU's April Traylor hit one free throw before McCain nailed a trey from the right side to bring UF within two, 66-64, with 1:40 remaining in the game.
Hayden drove to the basket and was fouled by Lauren Bradley, but converted both free throws to tie the game at 66 with 53 seconds remaining.
Whiting missed an off-balanced 6-foot jumper from the corner and Hayden collected the miss shot with 20 second to play and the Lady Gators quickly called their last timeout to set up a final play. FSU immediately called a timeout to extend the drama another 30 seconds. McCain took the final shot, but was off the mark and the teams scrambled for the loose ball as time expired.
Florida built a nine-point lead with 8:18 remaining in the first half after Tishona Gregory's acrobatic layup. But the Seminoles went on an 8-2 run over the next six minutes to close within three (27-24) with 2:34 on the clock.
The Lady Gators were whistled for 13 first-half fouls, as FSU made 20 trips to the free throw line. Fortunately for Florida, the Seminoles made just 11 as the Lady Gators took a 33-29 lead into the locker room.
Seven different players scored during the opening stanza for UF, paced Courtney Cooper, who contributed eight points. Tasheika Morris provided the bulk of the scoring for the Seminoles, adding 13. She was one of five FSU players who scored, but the only one hitting more than one field goal.
FSU dominated Florida on the boards, owning a 28-15 rebounding edge. UF's leading rebounder Vanessa Hayden, who entered the game averaging 14.3 boards with 22.4 points per game, played just nine minutes after collecting two personal fouls. Hayden tallied four points and three rebounds in the opening half.
Florida continues its seven-game road stretch on Saturday, when the Lady Gators play Crieghton in the first round of the Tulane Invitational in New Orleans.
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