February has been good to January Miller.
After noticeably struggling in the opening month of Southeastern Conference play, the junior guard from Orlando has been playing improved basketball recently.
Miller scored just 42 points on 15-of-62 shooting in the entire month of January, good for 24.2 percent from the field in those eight games.
Miller’s shooting struggles led to her confidence waning, and the losses kept mounting.
But her play has seen a resurgence in UF’s six games in February, something the fiery playmaker attributes to an increase in what she does best: attacking the hoop.
"I’m feeling a little more confident attacking the basket, changing up my game between shooting jump shots and attacking," Miller said. "I’m just feeling pretty good."
And her play has benefitted from that feel-good mentality.
With one game remaining in February, Thursday’s contest at Alabama, Miller has scored 59 points on 22-of-46 shooting, good for second on the team in that span behind Ronni Williams (69).
Coach Amanda Butler has noticed the improvement in Miller’s play, most notably when she’s streaking ahead of the defense trying to get a transition basket.
Florida doesn’t score on forced jump shots — they score in transition and attacking the basket, Miller’s forte.
"She has done a much better job with her shot selection," Butler said. "You know really picking her spots to attack and finding a way to be different than the rest of our perimeter players, which I think makes her a very challenging defensive matchup. She’s a really powerful athlete, and strong and very, very determined when she’s got the ball in her hands."
Butler has seen Miller and her fellow Gators taste defeat often this season, occasionally in preventable ways.
Florida has been on the wrong side of free throw disparity multiple times, as UF has struggled to draw contact without consistent paint penetration.
While the Gators’ other guards, namely Cassie Peoples and Carlie Needles, tend to play behind the three-point line, Miller excels when she beats her defender off the dribble and slashes to the basket.
"The best thing that I think she’s doing besides just creating some penetration opportunities where we actually score, is drawing a lot of fouls," Butler said. "She’s the best candidate on our team to make those types of plays for us."
Despite coming off the bench for the Gators, Miller is third on the team in free-throw attempts behind Williams and Peoples.
With just two regular season games remaining for a team that sits two games behind .500, it would be safe to say that Florida’s season is over barring a miraculous run in the SEC tournament.
But just like she didn’t give up when her shot wasn’t falling, Miller isn’t ready to give up on hopes for the postseason.
"We’re just taking each game one game at a time and just focusing on that," Miller said. "I think we’ll have a good outcome if we do that."
Follow Graham Hall on Twitter @Graham311
January Miller drives into the lane during Florida's 72-58 win against Arkansas on Sunday in the O'Connell Center.
