Depree Bowden stepped to the free-throw line for two shots with the game tied and 57 seconds left to play.
The senior made both to give her a team-high 21 points, then Marshae Dotson stole the ensuing inbounds pass and laid the ball off the glass to seal UF?s 80-76 overtime win against Texas Christian Sunday.
The Gators (6-4) had four players reach double-figures in points as Bowden was joined by Dotson (18), Jennifer Mossor (17) and Aneika Henry (12).
BWe have kids that we know can make certain plays at certain times,C UF coach Amanda Butler said. BIt?s not just one or two people. If you?re being guarded by this person on the other team, we expect you to make a play no matter who you are.C
It seemed UF might pull out the win in regulation, leading by two with possession and only 32 seconds left.
But the Horned Frogs (4-6) trapped Sha Brooks in the corner on the inbounds pass and forced a jump ball. The possession arrow gave the ball back to TCU, and Lori Butler-Rayford tied the game for the Frogs with a layup with 10 seconds to go.
TCU guard Adrianne Ross, the reigning Mountain West Conference Co-Player of the Year, had 38 points on 14-of-29 shooting in her attempt to carry her team to victory. It was the most points scored by one player against the Gators all season.
The game continued to stay close in the opening minutes of overtime and was tied at 74 with 1:32 left before Ross missed a 3-pointer and Bowden was later fouled.
Brooks fell 3 points shy of reaching the 1,000 point mark, scoring 7 points on 2-for-9 shooting.
The junior guard also snapped her 25 consecutive free-throws streak with a miss on the front end of a one-and-one with 1:44 remaining in the second half.
The Gators opened the game with four consecutive buckets behind the 3-point line and shot 44 percent for the game, their second-highest efficiency of the season after a 47.1 percent game against Florida State on Nov. 23.
UF?s 11 3-point field goals tied the school record, reached four other times.
BWe did a lot of extra shooting over the break,C Bowden said. BIt really helped us out a lot.C
UF pleased Butler with the way it responded after having such a prolonged time off.
Butler said teams usually respond to such breaks in one of two ways.
BYou come out flat because you?re out of synch and your timing?s not right, or you come out really ready to play,C she said. BWe displayed the latter today.C
TROUBLE WITH THOMAS?: Sophomore point guard Brittaney Thomas played only 3 minutes, all in the second half, in the game against the Frogs Sunday. Butler said an off-the-court incident led to Thomas sitting out the first half and the flow of the game didn?t allow Thomas to see much time after halftime.
