FINAL SCORE - GEORGIA WINS, 85-66
3:54 TO GO SECOND HALF - GEORGIA LEADS 79-57
Well this one's just about over here. The talent difference is just too much for UF to overcome. The Gators are fighting, but fight alone won't always win you ball games. Everytime UF got a stop on the defensive end, or forced a turnover it would give it right back either with a turnover or missed shot.
Georgia continues to shoot 50% from the field while UF shoots less than 40 percent. It's hard to win when there's that differential.
8:44 TO GO SECOND HALF - GEORGIA LEADS 65-51
Well the Gators aren't scoring, but at least they're making the Bulldogs use timeouts. After throwing the ball away on its offensive end, UF trapped Georgia right past halfcourt forcing a Landers timeout. Each team has only one timeout remaining.
8:53 TO GO SECOND HALF - GEORGIA LEADS 65-51
UF got a quick momentum boost behind back-to-back turnovers in its press, forcing Landers to call another timeout. Ashley Houts picked up her fourth foul as well.
9:32 TO GO SECOND HALF - GEORGIA LEADS 65-49
Georgia continues to slowly open it up here. Humphrey now has a season-high 26 points. Dotson hasn't been in since the technical foul. The junior forward is a very emotional player and her struggles and frustration probably led to her mouthing off to the ref.
It's beginning to be crunch time for UF. It will need to get it back to single digits - or at least have a good run before the under-8minute media timeout.
11:01 TO GO SECOND HALF - GEORGIA LEADS 60-45
As quickly as things looked up for UF, it has all started to unravel. The Gators got within 10 points a few minutes ago and had numerous opportunities to cut it to single digits but were unable to convert. Now Dotson picked up a foul away from the ball on the defensive end, and then said something to the ref to pick up a technical foul - that's now three fouls on Dotson with just more than 11 minutes to play. UF coach Amanda Butler saw her team just one shot away from making this a real close game again, but it just could not conver and that might be the closest the Gators get the rest of the night.
15:23 TO GO SECOND HALF - GEORGIA LEADS 53-40
Well UF has made a small dent in the deficit. The difference has come on the defensive end as the Gators forced back-to-back turnovers in their press and Aneika Henry had two big blocks as well.
Georgia freshman forward Angela Puleo has already set a new career high in points but is stuck on the bench right now after picking up her third foul.
HALFTIME STATS - GEORGIA LEADS 48-31
FG - Georgia shooting 50%, UF at 37%
3PT% - Georgia: 47.1, UF: 33.3
Rebounds: Georgia leads 20-17
Turnovers: Georgia: 5, UF: 9
UF isn't completely out of this one yet, but it will need to star the second half strong. The Gators HAVE to find away to step out on Georgia's shooters because they are lighting them up right now.
Georgia's Tasha Humphrey leads all scorers with 16 points (did she hear me say UF was denying her the ball?), followed by Anegla Puleo with 14 points. UF's leading scorer was Sha Brooks with 9.
KEY STAT: UF forward Marshae Dotson took FOUR shots in the first half. A lot of that can be explained by great defense by Humphrey, but there's no way the Gators win without Dotson having a great game. They must find different ways to get her the ball and force mismatches.
The second half is about to tip off - a slow start by UF and this one will be all but over.
HALFTIME - GEORGIA LEADS 48-31
Well, this one got out of hand quickly, and UF may be asking itself how. Since the Gators cut the lead to 1 with less than eight minutes remaining, the Bulldogs have outscored them 24-8 to open up a big lead going into the half.
UF has played decent defense, but Georgia is coming up with big shot after big shot. The Gators will have to find ways to score if they want to get back in this one.
3:52 TO GO FIRST HALF - GEORGIA LEADS 35-25
The Bulldogs' 3-point shooting is killing the Gators right now. Georgia has made 7 of 16 from behind the arc so far, punishing UF for playing zone. The Gators have reverted to man, but it will be hard for them to matchup the entire game with Georgia at some positions.
Of note, Georiga point guard Ashley Houts who set her career-high in points (25) in the team's last meeting already has three fouls tonight. Georgia coach Andy Landers has decided to leave Houts in - the sophomore has played 40 minutes in four of the team's last five games, and played all but 30 seconds of the other game. If the Bulldogs lost their point guard, it would be a major blow to their offensive attack.
7:13 TO GO FIRST HALF - GEORGIA LEADS 24-23
UF has started to make a run here, forcing Georgia coach Andy Landers to call a quick timeout. Much different that these two teams first meeting. UF center Aneika Henry is playing great defense on Tasha Humphrey, denying her the ball. Humphrey had 5 early points but has been quiet since then. It certainly helps that the Gators started to knock down some jumpshots. Let's see if they can keep it close as Georgia will undoubtedly try to make a run and put them away like last time.
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10:25 TO GO FIRST HALF - GEORGIA LEADS 22-12
This probably isn't the start UF wanted, but it's not boneheaded mistakes that are causing the problems. The Gators just can't buy a bucket right now - shooting less than 30 percent right now.
Georgia's winning the rebound battle so far, 11-8, and UF hasn't had a lot of second-chance opportunities which it normally thrives on. Marshae Dotson has gotten some touches but is being defended well by Georgia All-America Tasha Humphrey. Dotson will need to make more of a contribution to keep this one close.
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We're about 30 minutes out here at the Stegeman Coliseum. Media seating is
behind the basket here so a little different perspective tonight.
Pregame News and Notes:
- UF sophomore point guard Lonnika Thompson looks ready to play tonight
and warmed up with the team as normal. Thompson missed Sunday's
Mississippi State game with a sprained left shoulder she suffered last
Thursday against Auburn.
- Georgia looks to be sporting all-pink uniforms as part of the Think
Pink, an event that looks to promote Breast Cancer awareness.
- Many women's hoops fans will have their eyes on another SEC contest
tonight - No. 7 LSU vs. No. 1 Tennessee in Knoxville, tipoff coming any
minute now. The winner of that game will take sole possession of first
place in the conference.
This game may be just as big - with both teams sitting at 4-5 in SEC play
and fighting for their NCAA lives. A win here tonight would do wonders for
the Gators' tournament resume.
That's all for now, I'll be back closer to tipoff.
