Florida Gators

MACON, Ga. – The University of Florida women's basketball team dropped a 92-82 decision Thursday night at Mercer despite an outstanding performance from junior guard Delicia Washington. Washington finished with a career-high 33 points, including 25 in the second half alone.

The Macclenny, Fla. native tied a career best with 12 made field goals which included a career-high four three-pointers as she helped lead a spirited Gator comeback.

Finishing with 23 points, redshirt-senior guard Funda Nakkasoglu collected her 39^th career game with at least 20 points while a pair of freshmen, Kristina Moore and Ariel Johnson, each added eight points.

Despite outscoring Mercer, 34-23 in the fourth quarter, the Bears held on for a win in their home opener. The Gators fought back after trailing by as many as 21 points in the third quarter and trimmed the Mercer lead to as low as four in the fourth.

It was a very much a shooter's gym Thursday night as both teams finished the game shooting above 45 percent and with at least eight made three-pointers. Florida put together its best three-point shooting performance of the young season, finishing 12-of-26 (46.2 percent) from beyond the arc and excelled at the freethrow line, connecting on 16-of-17 (94.1 percent).



Mercer, who qualified for the NCAA Tournament a season ago after winning both the Southern Conference Regular Season Championship and Tournament Championship, shot well all night long registering 35-of-65 (53.8 percent) shooting from the floor. The Bears featured four in double figures led by KeKe Calloway's 30.

Mercer led 26-17 at the first quarter's end after finishing the frame on a 9-2 run. Florida and Mercer played to a 13-13 tie in the second as the Bears carried a 39-30 lead into the intermission.

The Bears got hot in the third and extended their lead by making 10 of 11 shots during a stretch in the frame. Mercer finished shooting 13-of-17 from the floor in the quarter and built its advantage to 69-48 heading into the fourth.

Florida mounted a late comeback by utilizing a 14-0 run to shrink the gap to just 73-66 with 4:29 remaining. Washington's effort was instrumental during this run as she scored eight points including two three-pointers during the Gators' scoring spurt. After the teams traded baskets and Mercer held a 76-69 lead, Washington drained another three to draw the Gators within four at 76-72.

Kiki Smith finished with five points, five assists, two steals and two blocks.

The Gators' loss snapped a streak of four-straight wins against Mercer as the series is now even at 4-4.

UF returns to action Sunday, Nov. 18 when it hosts Big Ten foe Northwestern at the Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center.

Notables

• A player has scored 30 or more points in a game just 38 times in program history, Washington has now done it twice as she also scored 31 points vs. Indiana in Dec. of 2016.
• Funda Nakkasoglu has made a three-pointer in 26-straight games, the second-longest streak in program history. She sits four games behind the leader Brandi McCain (30).
• Nakkasoglu has made 14 of her first 24 three-pointers this season (.583).
• Florida shot 8-of-14 from three-point range in the second half.
• All three of Florida's losses have been decided by 10 or fewer points.

Courtside Quotes
Head Coach Cameron Newbauer
"Mercer played a great game tonight and shot the ball incredibly well. We knew going in that they would be a dangerous team if we allowed Calloway to get into any sort of rhythm. Any time an opposing player scores 30 you've got more than got your hands full. We responded well in the second half and especially in the fourth quarter. We played with much greater urgency and aggressiveness late in the game. We made a number of plays on both ends of the floor to put ourselves in position to win but just couldn't get over the hump. We will continue to build and focus on the process. Growing pains like this are part of it sometimes and all we can do is learn and move onto our next challenge."

On the play of veterans Washington and Nakkasoglu
"Delicia and Funda have really stepped up this year and really did tonight as well. They continue to exhibit some great leadership in asserting their will in the game. I'm proud of the resolve we showed to fight back late in the game and I am anxious for us to get back to the gym tomorrow and keep building."

Junior Guard Delicia Washington on her career night
"It was all about my teammates believing in me. They saw that I was hot and told me to keep shooting the ball. I just took what was open tonight, when the defense sucked in on me I dished it. I had some great looks and just knocked them down."

"Funda came up to me and told me that she needed me, she needed me to make plays for the team. That really just stuck in my head because she is a leader and someone I look up to. Once she said that to me it really lighted me up."


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