Needles Seeks Memorable Postseason in Homestretch of Gators Career
Thursday, March 3, 2016 | Women's Basketball, Scott Carter
The senior guard is set to return in SEC Tournament after missing Senior Day
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Carlie Needles was the last place in the world she wanted to be on Sunday.
The bench.
"It ate her up,'' teammate Ronni Williams said.
In the final home game of her career, and with her family in town from Colorado and her fiance´ visiting from Chicago, Needles was forced to sit and watch Florida's 56-49 win over Auburn on Senior Day at the O'Connell Center.
Needles suffered a concussion three nights earlier in Florida's win at LSU, scoring eight points before she had to leave the game.
"It was a tough week,'' she said. "I was so upset I wasn't going to be able to play."
The Gators were fine without the player head coach Amanda Butler refers to as the "heart and soul" of the team. But Needles tried her best to convince Butler before the game that she could play.
Williams watched as Needles participated in the pregame shootaround despite knowing she wasn't cleared to play.
"Carlie is one of the hardest workers I have ever seen in my life,'' Williams said. "When you have a hard worker who is willing to sacrifice her body, get down and dirty with it, that's amazing."
For Needles, a fifth-year senior who is on schedule to earn a master's degree in management in May, last weekend was the best of both worlds.
Sure, she was disappointed not to be able to play one final time at the O'Dome, but as she watched from the bench, she had a special companion.
An engagement ring.
Needles' boyfriend, Karl Miller, proposed on Saturday. Needles said yes. The couple met at UF where Miller earned his undergraduate degree and once served as a volunteer assistant with the Gators volleyball team.
"That made up for it for sure,'' she said.
The good news for the Gators is that Needles is expected back in the lineup Friday when they face Kentucky in the SEC Tournament in Jacksonville. Needles returned to practice this week and is set to play in her 127th career game.
A 5-foot-6 guard who starred at ThunderRidge (Colo.) High prior to UF, Needles has been a consistent 3-point threat, consummate teammate and team leader since joining the program in 2011. Needles suffered a knee injury and missed her freshman season, but when she returned, she immediately served notice as a dangerous threat from downtown.
Needles set a school-record with nine 3-pointers in a victory over North Florida as a redshirt freshman and hasn't stopped shooting since. Her two 3s in the victory at LSU on Feb. 25 gave her 200 for her career, which ranks fourth in school history.
Freshman guard Eleanna Christinaki joined the Gators in the fall when classes started, making the move from Athens, Greece. She realized very quickly that Needles was a good teammate.
"She helps me a lot when I don't understand something when Coach Butler is talking so fast,'' Christinaki said. "She tells me what to do. Everybody respects her work. "
While Florida's win Sunday against Auburn clinched the No. 4 seed for the Gators in the SEC Tournament and a two-day bye, Butler had concerns without Needles available.
She means much more than the 6.8 points per game she provides.
"Carlie is so critical to our team and the personality of our team and the way we compete,'' Butler said. "That's the spirit of this team."
The Gators (22-7) are set to return to the NCAA Tournament after a 13-17 season a year ago. Needles, one of five seniors on the roster, can't wait to get back on the court. And the NCAA Tournament, too.
Needles said this team is unlike any other she has played on at UF, a group that was determined to erase the disappointment of last season.
"I love how we are off the court,'' Needles said. "We are more than just a team. We are a family. From the get-go, our chemistry was just different than other teams.
"To be able to go back to the tournament and just have that experience with this team, especially, we deserve it. I can't wait to see how well we do. We're just hungry for success."
