After opening the season with two wins at home, Florida (2-1) lost its first game of the season on Friday, a 72-66 loss to St. John’s. The team looks to get back to its early winning ways when it takes on Charleston Southern (2-1) tonight at 7 in the O’Connell Center.
Coach Amanda Butler has been studying the team’s play throughout the early going, assessing where the team needs to improve as the season progresses.
A week removed from stating the team needs to improve the slow starts that have slowed the team’s growth, Butler attributed the team’s most recent slow start against St. John’s to the Red Storm’s defense rather than a lack of urgency from the Gators.
“St. John’s is a great team, it was a great challenge for us,” Butler said. “I think…a really important way for us to open our road season.
“We had a chance to really get after it in practice hard, make some corrections on Saturday…. and get back at it today with an emphasis on Charleston Southern.”
Sophomore Ronni Williams played 20 minutes against St. John’s, her fewest of the season. The Daytona Beach native has taken her fair share of shots this season, peaking with her absence in the second half of the game on Saturday. The Gators leading scorer in its first two games, Williams has proven to be a consistent offensive weapon, a weapon the team needs to stay healthy and on the court.
Butler was quick to maintain the injuries are more likely to happen to a player like Williams because of the physical nature of her play.
“Staying healthy is a challenge,” Butler said. “The contact and things that go on, that’s difficult to manage. You have to play your game, and if you’re going to fall down, hit something or twist something, it’s going to happen.”
After starting January Miller at guard for the first game against Jacksonville, Butler has started fellow junior Antoinette Bannister in her place for the team’s last two games. With Miller coming off the bench, Butler alluded that further changes may be coming if the Gators can’t correct the defensive and pacing issues that have hindered the team in the early going.
“It was two completely different sets of 20 minutes,” Butler said, referring to the slow opening against St. John’s. “I think we found out that we have to make some changes and address some things that need to be better.”
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Ronni Williams goes up for a layup during Florida's win against Longwood on Nov. 17.
