Throughout the preseason, second-year Florida head coach Amanda Butler promised a 2008-09 team that would be “Bigger and Better” than the previous year's edition. Those improvements became evident Monday night when the Gators began the game on a 19-3 run and held Jacksonville to just 23.5 percent shooting, their best field-goal percentage defense since Dec. 9, 1995, as Florida defeated the Dolphins, 74-51, in the Stephen C. O'Connell Center.
Florida shot a blistering 53.7 percent (29-of-53) from the floor, including a 57.1 percent (12-of-21) clip from the field in the second half. It marked the Gators' highest shooting percentage since Jan. 13, 2008. Florida's post presence proved to be a major factor in the game, as the Gators out-scored the Dolphins 48-14 in points in the paint and out-rebounded Jacksonville 44-39.
“This was a very good win for us,” Butler said. “Jacksonville has a fantastic team and we obviously have a lot of respect for them. I was really proud of the way our team bounced back mentally from a disappointing loss on Friday. I think the way we started was the story of the game. We set the tone and kind of got them back on their heels. We're very good when we're up on our toes and when we're the aggressor.”
Florida's defense provided a major spark for its offense, scoring 22 points off of 20 Jacksonville turnovers and limiting the Dolphins to just 18 points and 12.1 percent (4-of-33) shooting in the second half. The Gators' 23.5 percent (16-of-68) field-goal efficiency defense was its best since holding Arkansas State to 22 percent shooting on Dec. 9, 1995.
“I think we really drew a lot of energy from our full-court defense tonight,” Butler said. “I felt like our full-court defense and the confidence we have in being able to play 94 feet allowed us to create a lot of our offense.”
Senior guard Sha Brooks (Jackson, Tenn.) scored a game-high 16 points, including a perfect 6-of-6 from the free-throw line, and came up with a season-high three steals to help lead the Gators (1-1) to their 11th win in their last 12 home openers. Florida, which improves to 203-59 all-time vs. in-state opponents, has now won nine consecutive home non-conference contests.
Senior center Aneika Henry (Coconut Grove, Fla.), who went scoreless in the team's opener versus Florida Gulf Coast, responded with 12 points, shooting 6-for-7 from the field, seven rebounds and two blocks. Senior forward Marshae Dotson (Columbus, Ohio) added 12 points and a team-high eight rebounds as one of three Florida players with seven or more boards.
Junior forward Sharielle Smith (Bradenton, Fla.) followed with nine points, including a perfect 5-of-5 from the free-throw line, and four rebounds, while junior guard Susan Yenser (Marietta, Ga.) also tallied nine points, all coming on 3-point baskets. Junior guard Steffi Sorensen (Jacksonville, Fla.) brought down a career-high seven rebounds.
Florida broke out to an early 19-3 advantage, including scoring the first nine points of the game, which was delayed 12 minutes from its scheduled tip time of 7:04 p.m. due to technical issues associated with turning the arena's lights back on following player introductions. Dotson and Jennifer Mossor (Orlando, Fla.) each had six points during that scoring spree, which ended at the 15:13 mark of the opening period.
With the Gators ahead 24-5, the Dolphins began trying to cut into Florida's lead with baskets on three consecutive trips down the floor. Each time, however, Henry responded with a basket of her own, the last coming with 10:17 remaining in the period and the Gators ahead 30-12. Trailing 32-12 with 9:25 to go in the first half, the Dolphins used a 10-4 run over the next 6:23 to cut within 14, 36-22. An Azania Stewart (Wood Green, England) hoop with 2:49 remaining until intermission stopped the run, but Jacksonville scored the final 11 points of the half.
Florida took a 38-33 advantage into the locker room at intermission after shooting a blistering 51.5 percent (17-of-33) from the floor. The Gators held Jacksonville to just a 34.3 percent (12-of-35) efficiency from the field, with 21 of the Dolphins' points coming in the period's final 10 minutes.
Jacksonville scored the first four points of the second half to cut within one, 38-37, but from there Florida used a 18-1 run to extend its advantage to 18, 56-38, with 13:04 remaining in the game following a Yenser 3-pointer from the left corner. That was the beginning of a larger 26-2 run that ended on a Brooks basket with 9:56 left in the game. Florida held Jacksonville without a field goal for nearly eight-and-a-half minutes in the second half while making that run. With the Gators ahead 64-43, Brooks hit back-to-back baskets and Dotson followed with a hoop of her own to extend Florida's lead to 27, 70-43, with 6:52 remaining.
The Dolphins (0-1) were led by Davina Hamilton's nine points.
“We shot the ball extremely poorly and we rushed shots tonight,” Jacksonville head coach Jill Dunn said. “We made a great run at the end of the first half but, unfortunately, we weren't able to carry that momentum over to the second half. It's hard to compete with a team like Florida when we do that.”
Thirteen of Florida's 14 players who dressed for the game saw action on Monday.
Florida returns to action on Thursday, when the team plays host to Stetson as part of a doubleheader with the men's basketball team. Opening tip is slated for 5:30 p.m. in the Stephen C. O'Connell Center.
Post Game Notes
• The Gators went on a 19-3 run five minutes into the first half thanks to seven consecutive field goals.
• With the victory, Florida now boasts a 27-8 all-time record in the team's first home game of the season, extending the four-game home-opening streak.
• The Gators now own a nine-game home winning streak vs. non-conference opponents.
• After the Dolphins came within one at 18:16 (38-37), the Gators went on a 18-1 run.
• Sha Brooks led the Florida with 16 points, five assists, one block, three steals and four rebounds.
• Sha Brooks (16), Marshae Dotson (12) and Aneika Henry (12) all scored double digits for Florida.
• The Gators out-rebounded the Dolphins 44-39.
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