Finding consistent offense has been problematic for the Gators during Southeastern Conference play.
Thursday was no different.
Florida was held scoreless for more than 6 minutes in the second half, watching its lead evaporate and its losing streak continue.
Missouri used Florida’s late offensive struggles to hand the Gators their fifth consecutive loss, a 69-64 defeat in Mizzou Arena.
“We’re digging ourselves a hole, and we’re making it really, really hard (to win games),” coach Amanda Butler said.
Leading 49-44 with 11:52 remaining in the second half, the Gators failed to score for the next 6:03. Missouri (14-8, 3-5 SEC) capitalized with a 14-0 run to take a 58-49 lead late in the contest.
Florida recovered from its offensive drought to tie the game at 64 with 1:33 remaining.
However, Missouri senior Sydney Crafton, who finished with 13 points, scored on consecutive possessions to give the Tigers a 68-64 lead with less than a minute to go in the game.
UF did not respond.
“They made some plays and hit some shots,” Butler said.
“We didn’t.”
The five-game losing streak is Florida’s longest since dropping 13 consecutive games from Dec. 29, 2006 to Feb. 11, 2007, a span that eventually cost then-coach Carolyn Peck her job.
“We’re just looking for answers right now,” junior Vicky McIntyre said.
“We’ve tried everything.”
Jennifer George finished with her most productive game since first suffering a dislocated shoulder against LSU on Jan. 6. George scored 13 points and grabbed six rebounds.
McIntyre added 12 points off the bench, equaling her career-best mark with the Gators.
Florida (13-9, 2-6 SEC) weathered an early storm from sophomore Morgan Eye and the Tigers.
Eye checked into the game for the first time with 14:52 remaining in the first half and quickly connected on her first three attempts from behind the arc.
Eye, the only player in the nation with at least 80 three-pointers entering Thursday, hit her fourth 4 minutes later while freshman January Miller was simultaneously called for a foul away from the ball.
Missouri used the momentum to take a 32-20 lead with 4:40 remaining in the first half, but the Gators fought back.
Florida closed the half on a 14-0 run to take a 34-32 lead into the break before struggling in the closing minutes of the contest.
“We’ve got another SEC ball game in [three] days,” Butler said. “We’ve got to dry our tears and get in there and get ready to battle.”
A radio broadcast contributed to this report.
Contact Phillip Heilman at pheilman@alligator.org
Coach Amanda Butler draws up a play during a timeout in Florida’s 88-81 loss to Ole Miss on Jan. 24 in the O’Connell Center. UF’s loss to Missouri on Thursday was its fifth straight defeat.
