Freshman Giuliana Mendiola scored 18 points including 10 critical free throws as the University of Washington women's basketball team advanced to the NCAA's Sweet 16 with a 86-75 win over Florida on Sunday night at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center in Gainesville. Florida, which lost for the first time in seven home NCAA and NIT contests, ends its season at 24-6, equaling a school record for wins in a season. The Huskies are 21-9 as they advance to Spokane, Wash. for the Sweet 16, marking the fifth such trip in school history and the first since 1995.
Brandi McCain led the way for Florida with a game-high 23 points, including a UF post-season record seven three-pointers. The seven threes also stand one shy of tying Bridget Pettis' UF overall record of eight in a game and the NCAA Tournament record of eight set by Utah's Julie Krommenhoek against Louisville on March 14, 1998. Each team placed four scorers in double-digits while UF freshman center Vanessa Hayden collected the 11th double-double of her career with 14 points and 13 rebounds before fouling out.
UF enjoyed a 48-37 rebounding advantage for the game but was victimized by poor shooting against a tough UW zone, connecting on just 25-of-72 shots in the game (34.7%). At minus-11, it was the most any opponent has beaten Pac-10 rebounding champions UW by on the glass this season. But, shooting 49.1% from the floor in the game and connecting on 27-of-34 free throws guided Washington past their rebounding difficulties.
The Gators led 4-3 early after jumpers by Monique Cardenas and Tombi Bell but after Andrea Lalum drained a three-pointer at 18:33 the Huskies led for the remainder of the contest. Washington raced out to a 15-8 lead by hitting each of its first six shots in the game, including three three-pointers, not missing from the floor until Naomi Mobley blocked a Kellie O'Neill shot at the 14:50 mark.
McCain hit the first of her seven three pointers at 13:25 to cut the UW lead to one point at 17-16 but turnovers on each of UF's next five possessions would prove costly. The Huskies used the Lady Gator miscues to produce a 9-0 run and extend their lead to 10 after an Emily Autrey three-point play at 12:05.
Florida would cut the lead to four at 28-24 when Mobley sank a tough baseline jumper at 9:08 but the Gators would miss 14 of their next 16 shots to close the half, allowing UW to go into the locker room on a 23-12 run and with a 51-36 lead. The Huskies helped extend their cushion by hitting 13-of-13 free throws in the first half. UW would connect on each of their first 16 in the game before finishing 27-of-34 from the charity stripe. The Huskies' first missed free-throw came with 3:30 remaining in the game. UW's 51 points were the most surrendered by UF in the first half this season.
Washington extended its lead to a game-high 19 points three minutes into the second half after a LeAnn Sheets layin. UW matched the total when it took a 62-43 advantage following a 10-foot O'Neill jumper at 13:29 but the Lady Gators would then begin their charge. A pair of McCain threes, along with a Hayden 14-foot jumper and a Hayden put back cut the UF deficit to 11 points at 64-53 with 10:22 to play.
Grabbing 18 offensive rebounds in the second half alone (part of 27 in the game) UF used second and third chance opportunities to whittle the Washington lead down to five points at the 5:05 mark when Hayden put back a Bell miss. UF held a 28-17 rebounding edge in the second half.
Twice Florida cut the lead to four points in the final minutes, once after a Cardenas three at 4:23 and once again after Cardenas hit a three from the corner with 2:10 to play, making the score 73-69. Florida missed its next five shots though and UW ran its lead back to 11 points with a run keyed by more clutch foul shooting. McCain hit another pair of threes in the waning seconds but UW held on for the 86-75 victory.
