The University of Florida lost to New Mexico 83-59 in the first round of the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship held at the McKale Center.
The sixth-seeded Gators (21-9) trailed 11-10 with 15:19 remaining in the first half when the 11th-seeded Lobos (22-9), ranked 24th, exploded on a devastating 31-6 run to take a commanding 42-16 lead with 3:26 left in the period en route to a 48-24 halftime score and Florida would never recover.
The teams each scored 35 points in the second half, but the 24-point halftime deficit was too much for Florida to overcome.
“We didn't have the same sense of urgency that we had in the second half,” UF head coach Carolyn Peck said. “I think the first half we dug ourselves a big hole. If we could start the game the way we started the second half, maybe we would have had a different outcome.”
Florida actually attempted nine more shots than New Mexico, but its shot wouldn't fall as easily as the Lobo's, who hit 50.9 percent in the game, including a 56.7 percent clip in the decisive first half. The Gators hit 33.9 percent from the floor overall and just 28.6 percent in the first 20 minutes. Both teams connected on six three-pointers, but the main scoring difference came at the free throw line, where UNM converted 23-of-28 compared to UF's 11-of-16.
Senior Dalila Eshe led the Gators on Saturday with 17 points and seven rebounds, while Danielle Santos added 15 points, six rebounds and four steals.
The loss ends the collegiate careers of UF's four seniors Brittany Davis, Dalila Eshe, Sarah Lowe and Danielle Santos. The quartet combined to play in 454 games with 280 starting assignments while totaling 11,124 minutes. Additionally, during their careers the foursome scored 3,147 points and collected 1,902 rebounds.
Off the court, Davis is on pace to earn her degree in Exercise & Sports Sciences - Fitness & Wellness in the Fall of 2006, Eshe will earn her degree in psychology this spring, Lowe will earn TWO degrees at the end of this semester - one in Political Science and the other in Spanish and Santos is on pace to graduate at the end of the summer with a degree in Sports Management.
Post Game Notes
Florida trailed at halftime for the 17th time this season.
The 24-point halftime deficit was Florida's largest this season and the largest the Gators have faced in an NCAA Tournament game.
Florida falls to 5-3 this season against ranked opponents.
The Gators set a program-record from the free throw line this season by hitting 74.9 percent (445-594), surpassing last year's mark of 72.5 percent.
END OF REPORT
