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Thursday, March 28, 2024
<p>January Miller drives into the lane during Florida's 72-58 win against Arkansas on Sunday in the O'Connell Center.</p>

January Miller drives into the lane during Florida's 72-58 win against Arkansas on Sunday in the O'Connell Center.

Winless in their last four games, the Florida women’s basketball team received some much-needed rest last week for the program to decompress and recover from the strain of the Southeastern Conference schedule.

The break was critical for the Gators, who regrouped and got back on track as Florida downed Arkansas 72-58 on Sunday afternoon in the O’Connell Center.

Coach Amanda Butler said the team’s res during its midweek bye crucial for UF (10-10, 2-5 SEC) to correct the losing mindset that emerged as the team went winless in three weeks.

"I think these kids go so hard for so long and that’s just physically," Butler said. "Then there are the academic rigors that they have as well.

"We really encouraged the team for two days to stay out of the gym, rest your legs, rest your mind, focus on your academics and just relax a little bit. I think we did a really good job of that."

Florida received significant scoring from its guards for arguably the first time in SEC play. January Miller, who shot 18.6 percent from the field in Florida’s first six conference games, found her rhythm against the Razorbacks and attacked the basket with force.

She started the game on the bench, but entered the game determined to correct the shooting woes.

She did just that, scoring a season-high 16 points on 6-of-12 shooting.

"I was attacking way more than I was in the past," Miller said. "My coaches just kept telling me that I needed to drive. Once I actually relaxed and just played like I knew how to, things just flowed."

Miller wasn’t the only Florida guard who got back on track against Arkansas (11-8, 1-6 SEC).

Carlie Needles also scored 16 points for the Gators, including a perfect 8-of-8 mark from the free throw line. All of her attempts came in the final two minutes of the game, when the Razorbacks began fouling Florida to try and cut the lead to a reachable margin.

But Needles and Ronni Williams made sure Florida wouldn’t blow this double-digit lead like the team did against LSU on Jan. 2. The pair made 13 consecutive free throws in the final 1:42, ensuring Florida its second conference victory.

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"We do our best work when we are energized," Needles said. "We play our best when we are celebrating the little things and the big things."

Florida played with a more relaxed mindset, something that was clear from the opening minutes. Butler altered the starting lineup yet again, something she’s tinkered with often throughout the season. The eighth-year coach chose to start all three of Florida’s freshmen – Haley Lorenzen, Brooke Copeland and Dyandria Anderson.

It would end up being Lorenzen who would deliver the needed intensity that the team has so badly craved at the tip-off. The forward from Iowa City, Iowa scored eight of the Gators’ first 12 points, and finished the game with 12 points, all in the first half.

"I knew my team was with me and we came out with a lot of energy," Lorenzen said. "Coach Butler had put a lot of confidence in me, because we were talking about the post needing more shots. I was just feeling confident and that this was going to be my game."

Kayla Lewis provided 10 points and six rebounds for the Gators, continuing her solid all-around play. Lewis, who has scored in double-digits 11 times this season, said the rest for the team was critical to the victory over the Razorbacks.

"We just needed to get our bodies right," Lewis said. "We took two complete days off. Coach Butler told everyone not to come in and use this unique opportunity. When we all came back in on Wednesday we were ready to go."

Follow Graham Hall on Twitter @Graham311

January Miller drives into the lane during Florida's 72-58 win against Arkansas on Sunday in the O'Connell Center.

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