The 14th-ranked University of Florida women's basketball team dropped a 73-62 decision to No. 24 Georgia in front of 3,945 at Stegeman Coliseum Sunday evening. The Lady Gators are now 17-8 overall, 7-5 in the Southeastern Conference, while the Lady Bulldogs improved to 16-8, 5-7 in SEC action.
Florida has not won in Athens since Feb. 8, 1995, when the Lady Gators upset 10th-ranked Georgia 59-46. Georgia avoided its first three-game losing streak since the 1991-92 season.
"Georgia's defense really dictated the game," UF head coach Carol Ross said. "They ran us out of our sets early in the first half. They also prevented us from getting on the offensive boards in the first 20 minutes. You have to give them a lot of credit."
Florida shot just 34.9 percent for the game, hitting 22-of-63 from the field. The Lady Gators forced 21 Georgia turnovers, but were outrebounded 47-35.
Brandi McCain led UF with 16 points and six steals, while Vanessa Hayden tallied 13 points and eight rebounds.
Mary Beth Lycett led all scorers with 20 points, as four Lady Bulldogs netted double-figures in the win.
"I thought our effort was good and we played hard enough to win tonight, but we didn't do the little things you have to do to win an SEC game on the road," Ross said.
Georgia shot 43.9 percent during the game and converted 19-of-27 free throws to preserve the victory.
Brandi McCain scored UF's first five points of the second half to cut a nine-point half-time deficit (28-19) to six points. Courtney Cooper could have dropped UG's lead to four, but missed a pair of free throws and Tawana McDonald hit a short jumper on the other end of the court. Monique Cardenas answered with a jumper for Florida and McCain stole the ensuing inbound pass, but the Cooper missed the opened layup. Georgia made Florida pay as Mary Beth Lycett nailed another long jumper from the left side to extend Georgia's lead back to eight, 34-26, with 14:02 remaining. McCain answered with a trey for Florida, but Ebony Felder put back an offensive rebound and Lycett canned another trey as UG's lead swelled to 11, 40-39, with 12:15 to go in the game.
Florida then went on a 6-0 run with baskets from Trish Patterson, Tishona Gregory and McCain to cut UG's to five with 11 minutes remaining. The teams then traded baskets over their next two possessions until Vanessa Hayden converted a three-point play to bring UF within four (45-41). Unfortunately, Hayden picked up her fourth personal foul shortly thereafter and Ebony Felder hit a pair of free throws. Tamia Williams countered with a pair from the charity stripe. Again the teams traded points until Patterson converted a three-point play to draw UF within three (49-46) with 7:44 remaining.
That's when Georgia swelled its lead back to double figures by going on a 7-0 run to take a 56-46 advantage with 6:31 on the clock. During that stretch, the Lady Gators committed several turnovers and didn't box out defensively, allowing Georgia additional shots at the baskets on each possession. From there the teams continued to trade baskets and free throws and Florida could not make up the difference.
UF's leading scorer and rebounder Vanessa Hayden picked up her second personal foul at the 7:45 mark of the first half and went to the bench with the score tied at 15-all. Monique Cardenas hit a running jumper to give UF the lead with 7:26 to go, but that would be the last field goal in the half by the Lady Gators as Georgia ripped off a 13-2 run during the remainder of the period to take a 28-19 advantage into the locker room.
During the opening 20 minutes, Florida shot just 33.3 percent (8-for-24) from the floor and was outrebounded 22-14 by the taller Lady Bulldogs. Georgia shot 40.0 percent (10-for-25) in the first half, while committing 12 turnovers.
The first 12 minutes of the game was extremely close, as the game was tied eight times with two lead changes. Florida led by as many as three points two different times, but Georgia always countered with a bucket.
Florida's next game is on Thursday, Feb. 21, when the Lady Gators play host to Arkansas in the team's regular season home finale. Seniors Monique Cardenas, Lindsey DeLoach and Brandi McCain will be celebrated prior to the 7:00 p.m. tip-off in the O'Connell Center.
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