Highlighted by a near triple-double by Sha Brooks and dominate inside play by Aneika Henry, the University of Florida women's basketball team defeated Florida Gulf Coast, 78-52, Tuesday night at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center.
Brooks finished the game with 10 points, as well as nine assists and seven rebounds, both career-highs. All 11 scholarship players scored, paced by Henry's game- and career-best 17 points, shooting a perfect 8-for-8 from the field while blocking three shots.
Depree Bowden and Sharielle Smith scored in double figures, adding 16 and 10 points, respectively, for the Gators, who improved to 5-1 at home this season, 5-4 overall. The victory also marked the Gator's 200th win against other teams from the state of Florida, as the team fields a 34-year record of 200-58 against Sunshine State foes.
Florida shot a season-best 68 percent (17-25) from the field in the second half, en route to hitting 31-of-54 field goals for a 57.4-percent field goal percentage for the game. The Gators also connected on 6-of-14 shots from behind the arc, paced by Bowden and Brooks, who sank two apiece.
"Our biggest focus tonight in every huddle was winning. We just wanted to win," UF head coach Amanda Butler said. "We told the team, 'we aren't going to talk about turnovers. We aren't going to talk about rebounds. We're not going to talk about missed shots or made shots. We're going to win,' and that's what we wanted to do. I think that you saw that in the way we handled ourselves defensively and with the confidence we had shooting the ball.”
After a back and fourth opening to the second stanza, Florida closed the game on a 14-2 run, holding Florida Gulf Coast (2-4) to just two points for the final 5:13. A lay up by Henry off an assist from Brooks, followed by a Bowden steal that turned into three points from Brooks, led off the run for Florida. Ebonie Crawford capped the scoring for the Gators when she sank two free throws with 32 seconds remaining. The Eagles did not score their final two points of the evening until there was 15 seconds remaining in the game.
Florida Gulf Coast was led by Adrianne McNally, who scored 15 points for the Eagles, which shot 32.8 percent (19-58), including 15 percent (3-20) from the 3-point arc. Chelsea Dermyer added another 14 points, while Delia De La Torre had 10.
The Gators took a 33-22 lead into the locker room thanks in large part to an 18-2 run that started with a Henry lay-up and was capped by another from Bowden. Florida led by just two at 15-13 with 9:53 remaining in the opening half before the run began. The Gators managed to rattle off eight straight points before FGCU could answer.
Following a McNally jumper with 7:23 to go, the Gators scored 13 unanswered points to go up by 18 with three minutes left in the half.
Bowden led the Gators in the first stanza, dropping in 10 points and pulling down a team high five rebounds. Henry added another nine points while Sharielle Smith dropped in six in the effort.
Florida, which was playing its fifth game in 11 days, takes a much-needed break for final exams, not returning to action until Sunday, December 16, when the Gators entertain TCU at O'Connell Center beginning at 2 p.m. The game will be televised live on Sun Sports and FCS, while the radio broadcast will air live in Gainesville on WRUF 850AM and through the internet at www.GatorZone.com.
Florida vs. Florida Gulf Coast
Postgame Coach and Player Quotes
December 4, 2007
Florida Head Coach Amanda Butler
Opening Statement:
“I'm very pleased. Our biggest focus tonight in every huddle was winning. We just wanted to win. We told the team, 'we aren't going to talk about turnovers. We aren't going to talk about rebounds. We're not going to talk about missed shots or made shots. We're going to win,' and that's what we wanted to do. I think that you saw that in the way we handled ourselves defensively and with the confidence we had shooting the ball.”
On Aneika Henry building on tonight's performance:
“That's a tough performance to replicate, but a lot of it depended on our opponent and their lack of size. I think it's a positive not only for our team, but for Aneika as well. Going forward to take the challenge of stepping up when you are the biggest woman in the building and competing, that's definitely saying something.”
Florida Junior Marshae Dotson
On building confidence:
“It builds it up a lot knowing we have an inside presence. If they double-team like they did, we kick it out and give it to our shooters.”
Florida Junior Aneika Henry
On being the focal point on offense:
“It felt great. We worked on it in practice and I just have to go out there and dominate.”
On the game being exciting…
“Yes, we won.”
Florida Gulf Coast Head Coach Karl Smesko
Opening Statement:
“I thought Florida played very well tonight. When we made a run and made it close, they did everything they needed to. They got the ball inside and got some easy looks at the baskets whenever they needed it. They also were complemented by hitting some key 3-point shots to extend the lead. We had too many wasted possessions to really stay in the game."
On competing against SEC teams:
“The University of Florida is a large step up for us. We hope we gain some lessons from this game that we can apply later and just improve our game where we can compete in the SEC.”
END OF REPORT
