The improvements Florida women's basketball coach Carolyn Peck saw on the court during the Gators' recent games became apparent in the win-loss column Thursday night in the Stephen C. O'Connell Center.
The Gators ended their losing streak emphatically against Ole Miss in their final home game of the season with a 78-64 victory. The Gators (9-17, 1-12 SEC) more than doubled Ole Miss' point total in the second half and set a record for their largest lead against an SEC opponent this season with a 30-point second-half lead.
As freshman Florida guard Sarah Lowe dribbled the ball at mid court with eyes fixed on the clock while the closing seconds ticked away, it became apparent that the Gators' school-record 13-game losing streak would come to an end.
"I tell you what, this is the team I have been looking for," Peck said. "Every game we got a little better, and tonight was the best I saw them play. This is huge. I am so proud of this team.
"I'm excited about this team. They keep getting better, and better and better."
Florida senior forward and Toronto native Trish Patterson, who was honored prior to the game with a framed jersey and a playing of the Canadian National Anthem, made her last home game a memorable one with her first collegiate start. With junior center Vanessa Hayden scoring only three points in seven minutes, Patterson saw an increased role and played a season-high 21 minutes, tying a career-high with 10 points and grabbing a career-high eight rebounds.
Gators freshman Dalila Eshe had the first double-double of her career with a career-high 17 points and a team-high 11 rebounds, which tied her career best.
Eshe led a dominating Florida performance on the boards with the Gators out rebounding Ole Miss 46-32.
The Gators, who used their 16th-different starting lineup of the season, closed the first half on a 20-5 run to take a 34-19 halftime lead. Eshe scored nine of the Gators' points during that span, using a variety of low-post moves to fool Ole Miss (12-14, 1-12) and help Florida break the 14-all tie the teams were gridlocked in at 10:26.
Eshe converted a three-point plays in traffic during the run on a reverse lay-up and free throw with 2:54 remaining. Florida's defensive pressure in the first half helped it offensively as it scored 18 points in the half off Ole Miss turnovers.
Florida took off running in the second half, using its transition game to score the first seven points in about two minutes and sparking a 12-3 run that put Florida up 46-22 with 16:42 remaining. The 6'4" Hayden got into the act when she ran the length of the court and took a pass from sophomore guard Tara Taylor in full stride for a lay-up.
Sophomore guard Kelly Stevenson's 3-pointer in front of a standing Florida bench capped the run and had the crowd on its feet. Peck, kneeling next to the scorer's table to the right of the bench after the 3, smiled and clapped as the Gators ran back on defense.
Lowe beat Ole Miss guard Carletta Brown off the dribble and nailed a 15-foot soft jumper for the next Florida score at 16:05 as it doubled Ole Miss' point total with a 48-24 lead.
The Gators' determination did not let up. Leading 56-28 with less than 12 minutes left, Stevenson raced the length of the court after a loose ball and tapped it to Taylor as it was going out of bounds at the Florida baseline. Taylor spotted up at behind the arc on the left side and drilled a 3.
Ole Miss showed flashes of a comeback after it used a 16-0 run to crawl within eight of Florida, 61-53, with 6:28 remaining. The Rebels cut their deficit to seven at 65-58 after Brown's 3-pointer at 4:59 and again at 3:36.
Injured Florida senior forward/guard Courtney Cooper was honored with Patterson prior to the game. Cooper, who suffered a season-ending knee injury Feb. 16, was presented with a framed jersey.
Florida returns to action Saturday as it travels to Athens, Ga., to play No. 14 Georgia. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. ET.
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