Kayla Lewis did not start against Old Dominion on Tuesday, marking the first time this season the freshman guard came off the bench.
But instead of showing her youth, Lewis took the decision in stride.
“Coach talked to me about the whole starting-not starting thing, and that didn’t bother me at all,” Lewis said.
And once she got into the game, she finished with a career-high 13 points on 6-of-10 shooting. Lewis also grabbed four rebounds in 29 minutes of action against a team known for frequent trips to the NCAA Tournament.
“It was a big-time game, and I like playing on a big stage in front of a lot of people,” she said. “I wanted our résumé to look good for when it comes time for the Big Dance, so I was just excited about that.”
The Gators (6-1) have a chance to improve that résumé with another tournament win this weekend, when they travel to Providence, R.I., for the Brown Bear Classic.
Florida will play Providence (4-4) Saturday at 4 p.m. and Brown (2-5) on Sunday at 2 p.m.
After employing the same opening lineup for the first four games, coach Amanda Butler made some tweaks.
Forward Jennifer George started in place of Ndidi Madu against South Alabama on Nov. 26, and guard Deana Allen replaced Lewis for the beginning of the ODU game Tuesday.
Butler said she makes adjustments in personnel depending on the opponent and the tone she wants to set coming out of the gate. She has repeatedly downplayed the importance of being a starter and emphasized using her whole bench.
Against Old Dominion, seven players racked up more than 15 minutes, and only two of the 10 who saw action failed to score.
“The plays were kind of divided amongst everyone,” Butler said. “I think that’s one of the things that makes us really hard to play against.”
Last season, Butler utilized 11 different starting lineups and had a different group on the court in nine of Florida’s final 11 games. She has used three variations through six games this season, and more changes are likely as Butler continues to identify the skills of her young players.
But Lewis, who played a season high in minutes against ODU, is carving out a niche in Florida’s offense.
Lewis, who blends the athleticism and ball control of a guard with the post presence and rebounding of a forward, stays on the court by flashing that diversity. She leads all UF freshmen in minutes played and is averaging 7.6 points and 4.3 boards per game while also blocking eight shots.
