Florida Gators
Central Florida
Gregory Sparks Women's Hoops Win at UCF
Thursday, December 12, 2002 | Women's Basketball
Sophomore Tishona Gregory sparked a 31-7 run in the second half to lead the University of Florida women's basketball team to a convincing 72-48 victory over UCF (3-3) on Wednesday evening.
Gregory tied her career high with 15 points, helping the Gators (6-3) snap a two-game losing streak and collect their 43rd consecutive victory against instate opponents. Senior Trish Patterson also tied her career high, scoring 10 points with four rebounds off the bench. Freshman Bernice Mosby scored 14 points, while grabbing nine rebounds in 28 minutes of action.
Florida led 33-22 at halftime, but UCF raced out of the locker room with an 11-2 run to cut the Gator's lead to two, 35-33, with just under 15 minutes remaining. But Tishona Gregory nailed back-to-back three-pointers to ignite a devastating 31-7 spree over the next eight minutes to launch the Gators to a 66-40 lead en route to the win. Seven different players scored during the run, extending UF's all-time record over UCF to 21-0.
In the decisive second half, UF committed just four turnovers and shot 48.4 percent from the floor to pull away. UCF outrebounded the Gators 48-36 during the game, paced by Takira Allen's 14 boards. Ali Roberts was the lone Knight scoring in double figures, contributing 10. UCF committed 25 turnovers and shot 33.3 percent from the floor.
"Even when our shots weren't falling early in the game, we continued to play solid defense," UF head coach Carolyn Peck said. "We started the second half just like we began the game, our shots just weren't falling, but our defense really pulled us through those possessions. Every player made great contributions tonight."
Walk-on Ash'lea Moore was the only Gator who did not score, but she did dish one assist in four minutes of action.
Tonight was the Gator's first game without the services of All-American center Vanessa Hayden, who fractured her left fibula during the December 7 loss at N.C. State.
"We've never been totally about one player and we showed that tonight," Peck said. "We had players step in and contribute like they have all season. This was a true team victory."
UCF jumped out to an early 4-0 lead, but Kelly Stevenson got the Gators on the scoreboard with a trey four minutes into the game. The Golden Knights stretched their early lead to four points twice more, but Florida responded with a 3-pointer each time, refusing to let UCF pull away. With the Golden Knights leading 18-16, Florida ripped off a 15-1 run over the next five minutes to take a 31-19 lead, en route to a 33-22 halftime advantage.
UCF committed 16 turnovers in the first half, but outrebounded the Gators 28-18. Neither team shot well, with UF hitting 36.4 percent (12-33) and UCF just 27.6 percent (8-29). Eight different Gators scored in the opening period, with Bernice Mosby leading the way with eight in addition to six rebounds.
The Gators conclude their hectic stretch on Saturday, when the team travels to Corvallis, Ore., to face the Oregon State Beavers (4-2). It marks the second time this season Florida has traveled to the West Coast. At the conclusion of the trip to Corvallis, the Gators will have traveled 10,462 miles over the last 16 days, all of which has been accumulated in the continental United States. Saturday's tip-off is set for 10 p.m. ET.
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