Andrea Vilaró Aragonés’ big break came three weeks ago on the road against LSU.
Jordan Jones was ruled out with a concussion, and Florida needed a guard to step up and offset the loss of its second-leading scorer.
Coach Amanda Butler turned to Vilaró Aragonés, who did not disappoint.
She scored five points and recorded career-high numbers in minutes (24) and steals (four), helping the Gators defeat the Tigers 73-64 on Feb. 2.
“For the players that were on the bench, it was a really good opportunity to play a good game and help the team,” Vilaró Aragonés said. “My good feelings started in that game.”
Vilaró Aragonés has had a breakout month and hopes to continue her February success tonight against Mississippi State at 7 in the O’Connell Center.
Going into the road matchup against LSU, Vilaró Aragonés had averaged just 7.4 minutes per contest against Florida’s first eight Southeastern Conference opponents.
With the exception of a two-minute outing in a 62-58 loss to South Carolina Feb. 12, Vilaró Aragonés has logged 16.2 minutes per game this month.
As Vilaró Aragonés’ minutes have increased, so has her production.
The Spanish guard has more than doubled her season average of 2.5 points per game, scoring 5.2 per contest in February.
Both Vilaró Aragonés and Butler credit the freshman’s increased minutes and production to her one-on-one work with assistant coach David Lowery.
According to Lowery, he spends anywhere from an hour to an hour-and-a-half with Vilaró Aragonés each week, normally consisting of 30-minute workouts on Tuesdays and Fridays.
Lowery has helped her adjust from the European brand of the basketball to the style played in the United States, including an emphasis on more aggressive offensive play and “finishing strong in the paint,” Lowery said.
“One of the things you will notice when you watch her is how she shoots in transition; she’s kinda like that olé type of layup,” he said.
“In America, you’ve got to go up strong, otherwise that’s going to get blocked.”
In the meantime, Vilaró Aragonés has relied on her jump shot for points; 39 of her 62 field-goal attempts this season have come from beyond the arc.
She has scored 18 points in the Gators’ last two games, boosted by a 4-of-11 effort from 3-point range.
“One thing I told her on Sunday (after the Georgia game) is, ‘You’re on people’s scouting reports now,’” Lowery said. “That’s a good thing.”
Lowery said UF needs a boost from bench players like Vilaró Aragonés to clinch a spot in the NCAA Tournament, and he said he believes she could become just as important to Florida as Jones one day.
“There is no ceiling right now,” Lowery said. “I hope there’s no ceiling and she just keeps getting better and better and just really makes herself an all-around ballplayer for us.”
Contact Joe Morgan at joemorgan@alligator.org.
