As the clock struck zero in the heated annual matchup between Florida and in-state rival Florida State on Tuesday, the spirit of the holidays seemed to go right along with it.
Instead of the generous attitude of Christmas, the referees played the part of the Grinch by denying guard Jaterra Bonds’ and coach Amanda Butler’s desperate appeals for a timeout with less than five seconds remaining.
After battling No. 25 FSU (10-3) for 39 minutes, the final seconds produced the outcome, and Florida (10-4) fell 74-72 in its first game against a ranked opponent this season.
With victory in sight, the Gators trailed by only one point and had the ball for the final possession of the game. Bonds took the inbounds pass but missed a short jumper with six seconds to go.
Deana Allen grabbed the rebound and the Gators pleaded for a timeout, but their requests fell on deaf ears.
“We were calling timeout, but the timeout wasn’t seen by the officials,” Butler said afterward in a radio interview. “It’s so unfortunate for it to end the way that it did.”
Allen threw up a prayer that FSU’s Courtney Ward corralled and Jennifer George fouled Ward with just a tenth of a second on the clock. Ward made one of two from the line and just like that the Gators’ hopes of a Christmas upset were spoiled.
“I feel bad for our kids because they played so hard and battled,” Butler said. “A lot of the statistical categories went in our favor, but we have to give Florida State a lot of credit for their composure at the end of the game.”
The contest was a back-and-forth affair throughout, with seven ties and five lead changes in the first half alone. Early on, the Gators used five points from Bonds to jump out to a 10-3 lead, forcing FSU to call a timeout and regroup.
Bonds’ 11 points and seven assists helped lead another dominant showing from Florida’s deep group of guards.
Returning from a concussion, junior Jordan Jones had a team-high 14 points with four assists and a pair of steals. Allen contributed 10 points, and Lanita Bartley (6 points) and Brittany Shine (7 points) also got into the mix.
It appeared that the depth of Florida’s bench would outlast the Seminoles, but the experience of FSU’s veterans proved to be too much.
After a 12-4 Seminoles run to open the second half, the Gators responded with a 16-3 run of their own and held a one-point lead with 10 minutes left in the game.
The lead changed hands six times in the final four minutes, but it was Ward, FSU’s senior leader, who made the difference.
She produced the game’s final point, her 20th of the game to lead all scorers, and routinely came up with big shots for the Seminoles.
“Courtney Ward is the best point guard we have faced so far and hopefully the best one we’ll play all year,” Butler said.
The Gators must now ready themselves for No. 22 Arkansas and the opening of conference play on Jan. 2 in the O’Connell Center at 1 p.m.
