Gators Notebook: Finley Returns To UConn, Smith's Leadership, More Tidbits

Guard Zippy Broughton in action at the SEC Tournament. (Photo: Hannah Rogers/UAA Communications)

Gators Notebook: Finley Returns To UConn, Smith's Leadership, More Tidbits

Thursday, March 17, 2022 | Women's Basketball, Scott Carter

By: Scott Carter, Senior Writer

HARTFORD, Conn. — In what has been a momentous season for head coach Kelly Rae Finley and the Gators women's basketball team, they turn the page to a new chapter on Saturday.

The No. 10-seed Gators (21-10) face No. 7-seed UCF (25-3) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Florida arrived here Thursday afternoon and held practice at the University of Hartford. The Gators will practice Friday at Gampel Pavilion in nearby Storrs, site of Saturday's game and home to the University of Connecticut's storied women's basketball program.

Florida is making its first trip to March Madness in six years, overcoming offseason turmoil that included a coaching change and the in-season transfer of Lavender Briggs, the team's leading scorer last season.

"Everything this season for us has been a new learning experience,'' Finley said. "Every opportunity we've had to grow, we've done so, and I don't expect this to be anything but the same."

Finley, Kelly Rae (2022 SEC Tournament) — **Kelly Rae Finley** led the Gators to their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 2016. (Photo: **Matt Pendleton**/UAA Communications)

Finley took over on an interim basis before the season and instantly recharged the Gators. She was named head coach Feb. 28 as the Gators, picked to finish near the bottom of the Southeastern Conference, defeated five ranked teams and entered the national polls for the first time in more than five years.

When Finley stepped off the plane and into a chilly afternoon Thursday, she did so with a memory of a previous trip to UConn. A native of Edina, Minn., Finley started her college career at Northwestern. However, a leg injury derailed her time with the Wildcats, and in search of a different experience, she transferred to Colorado State.

Finley had to sit out a year due to NCAA transfer rules and finally made her Colorado State debut in a home victory in December 2006. In her second game, the Rams traveled to Connecticut to face the undefeated Huskies. Due to inclement weather during the trip, the team had to split up and take different flights to Connecticut.

Once the Rams took the court at Gampel Pavilion, they were overmatched in a 93-58 loss. Finley scored nine points and can still recall the passion for the women's game on the UConn campus.

"It's an amazing atmosphere,'' Finley said. "We anticipate a great crowd of women's basketball fans. We're excited for the opportunity. I think Diana Taurasi might have got her jersey retired that day. It was a big day."

Finley's memory is sharp. Taurasi, playing professionally in Russia at the time, made the flight from Moscow to Storrs to be inducted, along with seven other players and head coach Gino Auriemma, into the Huskies of Honor.

Another former UConn player honored that day will be on UCF's bench Saturday. Knights assistant coach Nykesha Sales starred for the Huskies from 1994-98 and later was a WNBA All-Star. She is in her sixth season at UCF.

KIKI'S PRESENCE STRONG

The loss of Kiara "Kiki" Smith in the SEC Tournament due to a knee injury was a crushing blow for the Gators. Smith leads the team in scoring (14.6 ppg), rebounds (5.5) and assists (4.7).

Smith is unable to play, but her presence carries weight in the locker room.

"There are not many people I've known in my life that could have that injury the day before and turn around and make their focus their team,'' Finley said. "She is a winner in everything she does. She leads us. It's been tremendous to see her selflessness, her commitment to our team and her teammates. That's why she came back and that's why I think she will go down as one of the best players to every play at the University of Florida.

"When you talk about the story that was written this year, she was a huge catalyst for that."

Merritt, Jordyn (2022 SEC Tournament) — Injured guard **Kiara Smith** and teammate **Jordyn Merritt** at the SEC Tournament. (Photo: **Hannah Rogers**/UAA Communications)

Smith, who remains on crutches, traveled with the team to the NCAA Tournament.

Despite Smith's absence on the court, Finley said the Gators showed no signs of lingering disappointment when they returned to practice to prepare for the postseason.

"They have a desire to win. They have a desire to compete. They practiced really hard last week. They pushed themselves pushed each other past where maybe they had been in weeks prior," Finley said. "Ability to adapt is a skill, and it should be treated as such, We've become accustomed to it. I think we have risen to the occasion every time and this should be no different."

ZIPPY TIME

Senior guard Zippy Broughton has been splitting time at the point guard position with Alberte Rimdal without Smith running the show.

Broughton is coming off a 26-point game in the loss to Ole Miss that ended Florida's stay in the SEC Tournament. Finley has tinkered with roles to determine the best way for the Gators to succeed in the wake of Smith's loss.

Her confidence in Broughton is strong.

"She is just a fierce competitor,'' Finley said. "She competed relentlessly against Ole Miss our last time out. That's what you should expect from her every night. She's been preparing to play the 1 position, as has [Rimdal]. I think that gives us a great opportunity to prepare for different roles and having experience we can draw from as we move forward."

FAMILIAR FACES

The Gators are 25-0 all-time against UCF, but the schools have not played since 2015 when Florida defeated the Knights 93-79.

Sales won't be the only coach on UCF's bench longtime followers of UF's women's basketball team will recognize. UCF head coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson is in her sixth season.

She was at Albany prior to UCF and in 2016, Albany beat the Gators in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Syracuse, N.Y., for the program's first March Madness victory.

Abrahamson-Henderson was reminded of Florida's dominance in the series earlier this week.

"That [losing streak] is long in the past," she told the Orlando Sentinel. "We've wanted to play them since I've been here, but scheduling hasn't worked out."

Meanwhile, in the second game Saturday – Mercer against host UConn – former Gators assistants Susie Gardner and David Lowery will be on the Mercer bench. Gardner is in her 12th season as Mercer's head coach and Lowery in his first season as an assistant coach/recruiting coordinator.

QUOTE OF NOTE

"We love it. That's who we are. We want to earn everything. We're not an entitled group. Going into the NCAA Tournament, the mindset is no different. We're the underdogs. We're the 10th seed, UCF is the seventh." – Finley on her team's mentality entering the tournament

FREE THROWS

The Gators are 9-6 all-time in the first round of the NCAA Tournament … UCF defeated USF to win its first American Athletic Conference Tournament championship to earn an automatic bid … The Knights enter the tournament riding a 13-game win streak but have never won an NCAA Tournament game … UConn has made it to the Final Four in 13 consecutive NCAA Tournaments … Mercer defeated Furman in the Southern Conference Championship Game and is making its fourth consecutive appearance in the tournament.