GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Despite a season-high 18 points from redshirt junior Carlie Needles, Florida fell to Missouri, 68-52, at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center on Thursday night.
After Missouri jumped out to an early 9-2 lead, Needles carried the Gators back into the contest, hitting her first five shots, all three-pointers. Her fifth three-pointer tied the game at 25-25 at 5:49 mark after the Tigers led by as many seven points.
The two teams exchanged shots the rest of the half and Missouri led, 30-29, going into the second stanza.
Missouri opened the second half on a 10-3 run, capped off by a Maddie Stock three-pointer that gave the Tigers a 40-32 lead at the 17:30 mark.
UF closed the Tiger lead to one point, 40-39, at the 11:52 mark, but Mizzou put the game out of reach with a 20-1 run that spanned just over six minutes and gave the visitors a 60-40 lead.
Needles scored 15 of her 18 points in the first half on 5-of-6 shooting, but only attempted one shot from the field in the second half. Redshirt senior Kayla Lewis chipped in with 10 points and sophomore Ronni Williams added eight points and six rebounds.
The visiting Tigers controlled the paint, outscoring the Gators, 30-24, down low and outrebounded the host team, 46-31.
Mizzou's Jordan Frericks scored a game-high 19 points and collected a game-high 13 rebounds. Sierra Michaelis, who finished with 14 points, eight rebounds and six assists, ignited the game-changing run with back-to-back three-pointers near the beginning of the spree.
SEC Network Postgame Report (Video):
http://www.gatorvision.tv/mediaPortal/player.dbml?id=3692498&db_oem_id=6500
Florida's Postgame Press Conference with Head Coach Amanda Butler, Kayla Lewis and Carlie Needles (Video):
http://www.gatorvision.tv/mediaPortal/player.dbml?id=3692502&db_oem_id=6500
Updated Records: Florida: 10-11, 2-6 SEC … Missouri: 12-9, 2-6 SEC
Turning Point:
· After a Brooke Copeland and-one at the 11:52 mark of the second half that pulled the Gators within one point (40-39), Missouri went on a 20-1 run capped off with an and-one by Mizzou's Michelle Hudyn with 5:21 left in the game.
Series Update:
· Following tonight's win, the Tigers hold a 4-0 all-time against the Gators.
· Mizzou swept the regular-season series against UF; also earned the January 11 decision
· UF at Home: 0-2; Away: 0-2
Second-Half Struggles:
· After shooting a steady 44.4 percent (12-27) in the first half, UF managed to connect on just 25 percent (7-28) in the second stanza and finished the game converting 34.5 percent.
· The Gators were 0-2 from the three-point arc in the second half; 5-12 in the game.
· UF was 0-4 from the free throw line in the first half and 9-15 (60 percent) in the second.
· Mizzou shot 46.2 percent in the second half, including 9-12 free throws and 5-14 three-pointers en route to outscoring UF 38-23.
Numbers of Note:
· Florida forced 17 Missouri turnovers and converted those mistakes into 15 Gator points.
On Pins & Needles:
· In the first half, Carlie Needles connected her 143rd career three-pointer to pass Dana Smith (1994-98) for sole possession of sixth place in all-time school history.
· Needles bucketed five three-pointers, tying a season-high (Charleston Southern, 11/25/14).
· Needles recorded her 100th career steal in the first half of tonight's game.
· Needles crossed the 600-career-point barrier with her hot hand in the first half.
· Needles tied her career-high for three-pointers in an SEC game (was 5-7 vs. Alabama, January 30, 2014)
Individuals:
· Kayla Lewis snared her 700th rebound in tonight's game.
· January Miller grabbed her 250th career board in tonight's game.
Double-Figures:
· Kayla Lewis recorded double-digit points for 12th time this season and 49th in her career
· Carlie Needles scored in double figures for the seventh time this season and the 22nd in her career
Streaks:
· Carlie Needles connected on a three-pointer at the 11:38 mark of the first half, extending the Gators' streak with at least one trey to 151.
· Cassie Peoples scored in her team-leading 31st consecutive game.
· Haley Lorenzen scored in her 21st consecutive game.
· Carlie Needles has scored in 28 consecutive games that she has played (missed 2 games this year due to a concussion)
Starters:
· Kayla Lewis- made her 81st career start and 53rd consecutive
· Carlie Needles- recorded her 51st career start
· Haley Lorenzen- appeared in the starting lineup for the 14th time in her career
· Brooke Copeland- made her fifth career start
· Dyandria Anderson- notched her third career start
· This is the first time Florida has used the same starting lineup in consecutive games since January 4 at Auburn; had used a different starting five in five consecutive games prior to tonight
· This is the third game this season when the Gators have had three true freshmen in the starting lineup
Quotes from the Court:
UF Head Coach Amanda Butler
Opening Statement:
“Missouri, again, played a fantastic game. You just have to tip your hats to them. I'm not quite sure. I don't have a lot of answers for why we played the way we did the second half and portions of the first half. More than anything just really disappointed and embarrassed by our rebounding effort and we've just got to figure out how to fix it.”
On not being able to complete a comeback:
“I don't know. I just really, like I said, I don't have a great answer. I'm probably not going to be a great interview this evening because they really didn't do anything we didn't expect them to do, they just did it very well. We just had critical breakdowns whether it be by not communicating or not really challenging a shot, being surprised by, again, shooters. We got shot in our face a couple times. I thought we did a good job preparing for but obviously I didn't do a good enough job of getting us ready for. The rebounding though, I thought that was really what was back-breaking. You know when we would get back and put ourselves in position and then we would give them another opportunity, we gave up free-throw rebounds, plays you've got to make if you expect to win.”
UF Redshirt Senior Guard Kayla Lewis
On what needs to be improved on in order to win:
“Well the things that have been keeping us from winning games aren't things that we don't work on. I think you just have to dig in and you have to do it. We have to be better on the boards, we've got to be better from the free throw line; we just have to execute game plan and not do our own thing. It's not a matter of what we need to work on. I think the coaches do a great job of preparing us. I think we intellectually know all the concepts and the strategy. It's some intangible things that have to be done in order for us to get wins in the SEC because all those other “X” and “O” things are all there.”
Missouri Head Coach Robin Pingeton
On the 20-1 run that put the game away:
“I just felt like they really trusted each other tonight. They really played well together and I don't feel like anyone felt like they had to carry the load tonight. We did a great job trusting each other and playing with poise.”
On balanced team effort:
“I thought Michelle [Hudyn] had great minutes for us tonight. We still have to clean up some of our turnovers, but we had some great passes. Lindsey Cunningham had a great night and just like any other night what she does doesn't turn up on a stat sheet, not that her stat line is bad. She still had six rebounds and two assists and was 4-for-4 from the free throw line. She brings that passion and toughness and grit. I thought it was a great team effort. We don't need anyone to be a superstar. We just need nine players that are hard workers and play with a lot of grit and a lot of toughness.”
Next Gator Game:
· What: Florida (10-11, 2-6 SEC) at Vanderbilt (12-8, 3-4 SEC)
· When: Sunday, February 1, 2015 at 4 p.m. ET
· Where: Nashville, Tenn. * Memorial Gym
· Television: Fox Sports Net with Jenn Hildreth & Brittany Jackson
Other SEC Games Played Thursday:
· #1 SOUTH CAROLINA d. Alabama, 85-54
· #6/6 Tennessee d. #10/10 KENTUCKY, 73-72
· ARKANSAS d. Auburn, 52-47
· #18/18 MISSISSIPPI STATE d. Vanderbilt, 69-44
· Ole Miss at LSU – later start
For all of the latest information on Florida women's basketball:
Official Website: www.gatorzone.com/basketball/women
Facebook: www.facebook.com/FloridaWomensBasketball
Twitter: @GatorZoneWBK and @CoachButlerUF
Instagram: GatorzoneWBK
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