January Miller emerged as a legitimate scoring option for the Gators two weeks ago.
Facing No. 6 Kentucky on the road, Miller scored a career-high 17 points on an efficient 5-of-7 shooting performance.
Ten days later, she scored in double figures again, dropping 11 points against No. 9 Tennessee.
Florida lost each game, but coach Amanda Butler found another go-to scorer, something she expected Miller to become this season.
“She’s here because she is a scorer,” Butler said.
“January, if you just start tracking people from the beginning of the season to where we are right now, is, hands down, our most improved player.”
Butler hopes Miller’s improvement continues when Florida faces South Carolina in the O’Connell Center on Sunday at 1 p.m.
The Gators lost two matchups to the Gamecocks last season, scoring a season-low 44 points in a home loss on Jan. 8.
Entering Thursday, South Carolina again boasts one of the nation’s top defensive units.
The Gamecocks are tied for 11th in the nation allowing just 0.72 points per possession.
South Carolina ranks second only to Kentucky in the Southeastern Conference with that mark.
Coach Dawn Staley’s team is third in the country in scoring defense, limiting opponents to 47.1 points per contest.
“They are one of the best defensive teams not just in our conference but in the country,” Butler said.
Florida is preparing for another physical, low-scoring affair.
Miller’s offensive production will be critical off the bench.
Early in the season, Miller struggled to fill the role coaches expected of her. She averaged just 3.2 points per game in Florida’s first 12 contests.
But Miller has since become more effective. In four SEC games, she is averaging 8.5 points, which ranks fourth on the team and is tops among Florida’s freshmen.
“She’s come a long, long way,” Butler said.
“There’s no question she’s our most improved player.”
For Miller, the increased production stems from a self-assuredness that has developed throughout the season.
“I’m getting more comfortable,” Miller said.
“Coming from high school to college, it’s obviously a big change. We’ve all gotten more confident. We’ve played in tough games and made monumental changes to get better as a unit.”
The epitome of Miller’s development came late in regulation against Tennessee on Sunday.
The Volunteers led 69-68 with 37 seconds remaining in the second half.
Butler called a timeout following a missed jumper by Tennessee’s Isabelle Harrison and diagrammed a play the Gators work on tirelessly in practice.
The play called for Miller to use a screen to take a shot from the elbow, an area Butler coined “the money box.”
Miller did such, receiving the ball and sinking the shot to give the Gators a 70-69 advantage with 29 seconds remaining.
Tennessee’s Bashaara Graves was fouled 16 seconds later.
She made one free throw to tie the game, stripping Miller of her potential game-winning shot. Coaches and teammates were impressed with the freshman’s poise.
“January has definitely come into her own,” junior Vicky McIntyre said. “We’re just going to keep going to her as long as she’s hot. She’s really stepping up as a role player.”
Contact Phillip Heilman at pheilman@alligator.org.
January Miller (right) attempts a shot during Florida’s 78-75 overtime loss to Tennessee on Sunday at home.
