The Gators snapped their three-game skid with authority Sunday afternoon in the O’Connell Center.
After three consecutive subpar offensive performances, Florida exploded for 87 points and a 46.8 shooting percentage in its 87-69 victory over Auburn.
Senior guard Jaterra Bonds led the way for the Gators (14-6, 4-3 Southeastern Conference), notching 18 points, six boards and five assists.
“It feels really good,” Bonds said, “especially when you get an 18-point win against a team who’s been very hot lately.”
Bonds was perhaps most impressive from the charity stripe. As a whole, Florida was 21-for-26 from the free-throw line, compared to Auburn’s 13-for-26 clip.
“The key to the game was sticking to our game plan, and that was attacking the gaps,” Bonds said. “We knew they were going to be big up front, so we just wanted to get it out of our hands quick and flash to the middle and attack from the corner. We just wanted to get it to the seams and make them make a play defensively.”
The Tigers (11-9, 2-5 SEC) tried to contain Bonds but opened the door for fellow senior Lily Svete.
Svete, normally a starter, had a breakout game, registering 12 points and shooting 3-for-8 from beyond the arc coming off the bench.
“To me, it’s easier to come out a little bit more relaxed, because when I start I have a lot of intensity,” she said.
“As a shooter, I shoot better when I’m more relaxed and I let things come to me. My teammates just did a great job of finding me. I ran with the offense and ran to the open spot, and they passed me the ball.”
Florida not only shot the ball well, but also protected it. The Gators committed only 12 turnovers compared to the Tigers’ 22, and also doubled up Auburn in steals 12-6.
“To only have 12 turnovers is one thing, but to have more assisted baskets than turnovers is a great indication that the team’s playing well together,” coach Amanda Butler said.
“We took care of the basketball. We neutralized the rebounding battle in the second half and also got to the free throw line. All these things contributed to beating a team that I think is very, very good.”
At halftime, the Gators were leading 41-34. Midway through the second half, Florida busted the game wide open, leading by 23 at the half’s midway point. Thanks to the Gators’ 31-8 run in the first 10 minutes of the second half, Florida cruised to victory.
“The five that were out there just made it happen,” Butler said of the run. “It wasn’t necessarily like, ‘OK, we got to have Jaterra and we gotta have this person.’ Those five just ran with it and brought us a lot of energy. Jan (Miller) was in there and sparked the run. She went right in and attacked the basket, and right off the bat got a foul call.”
Kayla Lewis was a significant contributor in essentially neutralizing the rebounding battle. Auburn had a significant size advantage on Florida and won the battle of the boards by 14, but Lewis’ 13 rebounds were critical to keying the Gators to victory.
“This was a big win for us, no question,” Butler said. “Before I even look at the film, things jump out; the way Lily shot, the big plays JT made, the rebounds Kayla grabbed, the way January played the second half.
“Everybody made plays and gave energy.”
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Jaterra Bonds drives the ball down the court during Florida’s 87-69 win against Auburn on Sunday in the O’Connell Center. Bonds scored eight free throws as the Gators went 21-of-26 at the line on Sunday.
