Even though the schedule doesn’t get any easier — with tonight’s matchup against the No. 10 Kentucky Wildcats on the road being a prime example of the schedule’s difficulty — the Gators women’s basketball team is hoping to find easier ways to score.
According to redshirt senior Kayla Lewis, Florida feels most comfortable scoring on the fast break and running the floor efficiently.
"We have to find ways to score easily," Lewis said. "That means being a better defensive team, getting layups, scoring in transition. Also getting to the free throw line a lot more."
Lewis remembers last season, when Florida went into Lexington on Jan. 5, 2014, and beat the then-No. 6 Wildcats on their home court.
That team used the victory as validation — the Gators saw they could beat some of the best teams in the country, and Florida made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
To get back to the tournament this season, Lewis believes Florida (9-8, 1-3 Southeastern Conference) needs to play a more attacking style at the offensive end.
"I think we are going to have to be more aggressive when penetrating to the basket against this team," Lewis said. "They pressure up so hard that if you don’t counter it, then you’ll end up having turnovers trying to pass the ball."
The pressure is only going to increase for Florida. Including tonight’s contest against the Wildcats (14-3, 3-1 SEC), seven of the Gators final 12 regular season games are against ranked opponents.
For Florida, the team is preparing for each game individually. Each opponent is different, and therefore requires a specific method of preparation.
"From this point on, we’re gonna play great teams," Lewis said. "We’re not going to stake our whole season off this one game. We’re just trying to win one at a time, get our team back on track. Get everybody on the same page and really establish ourselves in the SEC as a great defensive team."
In the Wildcats 68-60 loss to No. 1 South Carolina on Sunday, Kentucky was dealt a huge blow when starting point guard Janee Thompson suffered a dislocated left ankle that resulted in a broken fibula.
Thompson, who is out for the season, leads the Wildcats in assists, and the team could either stagger the rest of the way - or use the loss of one of its leaders as motivation.
The Gators are still without their starting point guard, with Carlie Needles out with a concussion she suffered against Ole Miss. While not as severe an injury as Thompson’s, Florida needs to harness the same passion Lewis believes Kentucky will play with.
"You’re going to play a Kentucky team at Kentucky that just came off a tragedy losing their point guard to a graphic situation," Lewis said. "Their coach got ejected, and those guys are going to just have a whole lot of passion and fire about winning for (Thompson) and bouncing back."
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Kayla Lewis drives down the court during Florida’s 81-76 loss against Missouri on Feb. 20 in the O’Connell Center.
