Florida catches break amid SEC struggles
By Austin Stirling | Jan. 23The Gators are in the midst of their lowest point of the season. Florida dropped four out of its last five games, all against Southeastern Conference opponents.
The Gators are in the midst of their lowest point of the season. Florida dropped four out of its last five games, all against Southeastern Conference opponents.
Florida (12-3, 1-1 SEC) held off the Texas A&M Aggies (5-7, 0-2 SEC) in a defensive battle to win its first Southeastern Conference game of the season. The Gators outscored the Aggies 36-14 in the paint, dominating the interior throughout the game.
The Florida Gators (11-3, 0-1) fell to the Tennessee Lady Volunteers (9-6, 1-0) in their first SEC battle, sans senior guard Leilani Correa. The conference opener saw Rocky Top stay on top 77-67, extending Tennessee’s lead in meetings between the two programs 55-5.
Florida lost, 95-79, in the final game of the Jumpman Invitational Wednesday night against the No. 23 Oklahoma Sooners. The Gators were without senior guard Leilani Correa — who leads the team with 16 points per game — and struggled offensively much of the night.
The Florida Gators (11-1) took down UNC Greensboro (5-7) 79-55 Sunday afternoon in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center.
The Gators (10-1) defeated the Hurricanes (7-4), 76-73, Sunday afternoon in an overtime thriller in Coral Gables. The matchup was the first time the teams played each other since 2010.
The Gators defeated Presbyterian in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center Tuesday. Florida shot an impressive 46% from the field and made seven of its 13 attempts from beyond the arc. Three Gators scored in double-figures — Rimdal, senior guard KK Deans with 18 points and junior center Ra Shaya Kyle with 12.
The Gators scored at will early on, but stagnant second and third quarters brought the Panthers within one. Florida got back on track with an 18-point fourth quarter to secure a 68-53 victory.
Florida defeated Green Bay Thursday in the St. Pete Showcase. UF senior guard Leilani Correa led the team in scoring with 20 points, with junior Jordyn Merritt right behind with 17 points.
Florida Gators women’s basketball took on the Furman Paladins in their fourth home game of the season Monday night and came out with a decisive victory. UF still remains undefeated inside the Stephen C. O’Connell center so far this season.
Five-star 2023 women’s basketball prospect Laila Reynolds is ready to compete for championships and bring a winning mentality to Gainesville. Reynolds hails from PG County, Maryland. She’s the No.19 recruit in the country as of Nov. 20, according to ESPN.
Florida defeated Bethune-Cookman Friday night inside the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. UF made more than half its shots and finished with a 52% field goal percentage. Second chance points helped keep the Wildcats within reach of Florida, outscoring the Gators 16 points to six in the category.
Based on the run Florida had just went on, six points felt more than achievable. However, a stagnant fourth quarter ended with the Seminoles on top, 92-77. The Seminoles led by as many as 19 points in a game where the Gators ran out of magic and failed to come back one more time.
The Gators moved to 2-0 on the season after beating UNC Asheville 86-40 Sunday afternoon. Florida led for all four quarters and outscored the Bulldogs 49-17 in the second half.
Florida starts the season 1-0 after defeating the Rattlers 83-55 in the first game of its season Monday night. The win starts Kelly Rae Finley’s first full season as the team’s head coach on a strong note.