GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Less than 24 hours have passed since it last tipped off, and the University of Florida women's basketball team is back at it again Wednesday evening as it hosts Charleston Southern for a 5 p.m. tilt at Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center.
The Gators dropped a hard-fought fight to FSU Tuesday night in Tallahassee, taking on the Seminoles in a contest that was rescheduled from Sunday, Nov. 29. Sophomore
Nina Rickards broke through for a career-best 18 points while
Lavender Briggs registered 20, but the Gators couldn't overcome the Seminoles' interior toughness. Senior floor general Kiki Smith added 14 points and eight assists.
Streaky shooting and points from FSU turnovers kept the Gators in the game all night long, but the ball wouldn't bounce Florida's way in the pivotal moments late as the Seminoles collected two crucial caroms with under two minutes to play when Florida had cut the gap to 75-72.
The Buccaneers return four starters from last season's team and welcome five newcomers. CSU, which posted a 4-26 record a season ago, kicked off its 2020-21 campaign with a 79-52 triumph over Columbia International which is an NAIA program in Columbia, S.C. Sophomore Sha'Mya Leigh and Alyssia Faye, a transfer from Wichita State, both finished in double figures with 17 and 15 points, respectively. CSU was slated to finish 10th in the Big South Conference Preseason Poll.
Ninth-year head coach Fred Applin roams the sidelines for the Buccaneers. Charleston Southern is 0-21 all-time against the SEC and senior Carmella Walker, a native of New Smyrna, Fla., was the team's leading scorer a season ago.
Florida holds a 3-0 record all time against the Buccaneers. The squads last met on Dec. 30 of 2018 in what was UF's non-conference finale. The game saw nine ties and seven lead changes, but Florida made its move in fourth, outscoring the Buccaneers 23-16 in the frame. The win snapped a three-game skid and four players on this year's UF roster appeared in the game (Smith, Moore, Rainey and De Oliveira).
Tipoff Tip Ins
- A season ago at 9-7, UF produced its best home record since the 2015-16 campaign when it went 13-2 in Gainesville and qualified for the NCAA Tournament.
- UF is averaging 82.5 points per game through its first two contests, in the same segment it averaged 71.5.
- Florida has made 20 three-pointers through its first two contests and are limiting opponents to just 19.4 percent shooting from distance.
- Standout Lavender Briggs added 20 points at FSU, it was her fifth time with 20 or more in her young career (31 games played).
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