Florida Gators
Massachusetts
Women’s Basketball Wins 2-OT Thriller over UMass
Sunday, December 29, 2002 | Women's Basketball
Florida rallied from a 15-point deficit with 15:22 remaining in regulation and overcame a monster performance from UMass's Jennifer Butler to defeat the Minutewomen 78-70 in a double-overtime thriller at the O'Connell Center in front of 2,045 in the first round of the State Farm Classic.
The Gators (7-4) also overcame a night when they were outrebounded 64-53, committed 22 turnovers and attempted 24 fewer shots than their opponent. UMass aided UF by shooting just 28.3 percent (26-92) from the floor, including 16.7 percent (2-12) during the second overtime period and 23.1 percent (9-39) in the second half. In the loss, Butler contributed 30 points and 30 rebounds, setting a school record for her rebound total, which was the fifth-highest total in NCAA history.
UF's Danielle Santos opened the second overtime scoring with one free throw, but UMass' Cleo Foster canned a 16-footer with 3:56 remaining to give the Minutewomen a 68-67 lead. Senior Courtney Cooper then scored the next five points of the game to ignite a game-deciding 10-0 run to help the Gators take a 77-68 lead with 1:21 remaining. Sophomore Tishona Gregory nailed her third 3-pointer of the game during that spree, finishing the contest tying her career-high of 15 points. Cooper, who was making her first appearance of the season after being ineligible for UF's first 10 games, ended the night with 13 points and seven rebounds. The Gators hit all four field goal attempts during those final five minutes, but made just 2-of-10 free throws. Umass struggled from the floor, hitting just 2-of-12 shots in the second overtime period.
Cooper and Gregory were two of five Gators scoring in double-figures. Freshman Sarah Lowe led UF with 17 points, while collecting 10 rebounds to record her first collegiate double-double. Freshman Bernice Mosby tallied 15 points with a team-high 18 rebounds and three blocks to notch her fourth double-double. Freshman Danielle Santos added 11 points, including three in the second overtime period.
In the first overtime, UF opened hitting its first five free throws to take a 66-61 lead with 2:14 remaining. But Butler countered with a three-point play, bringing the Gator lead to two with 1:48 left. On UF's ensuing possession, Butler picked off an errant pass from Lowe and drove to the basket, but shuffled her feet in the lane and was whistled for traveling with 1:33 on the clock. Butler redeemed herself by hitting a pair of free throws with 1:04 remaining to tie the score at 66-all and end the period's scoring to force a second overtime frame.
After slicing a 29-14 first-half deficit to five points by halftime (34-29), UF freshman Dalila Eshe sank a jumper and drew a foul to begin the second half as the Gators came within three with 19:45 remaining. UMass then went on a 10-0 run to take a 46-31 lead with just over 15 minutes left. Santos sank two free throws to spark Florida's 13-0 swing that cut the deficit to two, 46-44, with 11 minutes remaining in the game. After the team traded baskets, Cooper hit a jumper to tie the game 50-all with 6:32 remaining. Ebony Pegues hit a 15-footer, but Gregory nailed a 3-pointer that gave UF its first lead since the 15:03 mark of the first half. However Judit Zsedenyi answered with a trey as Umass regained a one-point lead. Gregory again canned a 3-pointer, but that was followed by a trey from Pegues as there were seven lead changes and three tied scores in the final 6:55 of regulation. The Gators actually led by three, 60-57, with 35 second remaining, but Butler rallied with a layup and then converted a pair of free throws with 23.1 seconds left to give Umass a 61-60 lead. Florida worked the clock until Lowe drew a foul with 6.6 seconds. She missed the first free throw, but sank the second; and UMass was unable to get a shot off and the game went into overtime deadlocked at 61.
UMass jumped out to a quick 4-0 advantage in the first half before Cooper hit a jumper to fuel an 8-0 run for the Gators to put them ahead 8-4. UMass answered with an 11-0 run to jump out to a double-digit lead, 26-13. Eshe stopped the run when she made a free throw with 6:36 remaining in the first half. The Gators were down by as much as 15 points after missing 11 consecutive field goals, but went on an 8-0 run to cut the deficit to seven (29-22) with less than three minutes left. UMass headed into the lockerroom with a 34-29 lead over the Gators.
END OF REPORT
