A
different Gators team took the floor Friday in the quarterfinals of
the Southeastern Conference tournament.
After getting blown out in two prior meetings against the defending
SEC champions, the Florida women's basketball team battled for 40
minutes before eventually falling to Tennessee 92-75 in Nashville,
Tenn.
The Gators (18-14, 7-10 SEC) started fast and trailed by only two
points at halftime, but the sheer size and talent of the No. 4
Volunteers (29-2, 17-0 SEC) took over in the second half.
"Our fight was tremendous," coach Amanda Butler said. "But we
didn't show up to be satisfied with that. We came to win, so we're
disappointed."
Florida rushed out of the gates, playing a fast tempo and making
hustle plays Tennessee struggled to overcome. Guards Deana Allen
and Lanita Bartley both had steals in transition for easy buckets
that helped Florida to a 16-14 lead midway through the first
half.
But then, Tennessee started pressing. With Angie Bjorklund on the
floor, the Volunteers' lineup featured five players over six feet
tall. The diminutive guard combo of Lanita Bartley, Jaterra Bonds
and Jordan Jones couldn't overcome the length advantage and
Tennessee easily built an 11-point lead.
The Gators defense then stepped up with six straight stops,
preventing the Volunteers from pressing off inbounds plays. UF
closed the half on a 14-5 run.
Trailing 38-36 at intermission, the Gators were within five points
of their total in each of the previous meetings. Florida lost to
Tennessee 83-40 and 61-39 earlier in the year.
But the second half belonged to Tennessee and Glory Johnson.
The 6-foot-3 power forward nearly had a double-double in the first
half with 10 points and six rebounds, and she carried that momentum
into the second with six points in the first minute and a half, as
Tennessee began to pull away.
The top-seeded Volunteers plugged the ball into the paint, placing
several Gators in foul trouble.
"It was difficult when we had to try to piecemeal lineups
together," Butler said. "They're dominant in the paint as well.
That's why they're undefeated in our league."
With just less than 10 minutes left in the game, both Azania
Stewart and Jennifer George had picked up their fifth foul. With
Florida's post presence decimated, Tennessee continued to abuse the
painted area. The Volunteers racked up 32 points in the paint in
the second half alone, thanks in large part to Johnson and her
career-high 25 points.
Later, Madu fouled out on a Johnson layup, effectively ending UF's
chance at a comeback. The Gators' best offensive weapon in the
tournament finished with 13 points and three rebounds. Visibly
upset with the call, the frustrated junior clutched a towel and
held her head in her hands as tears streamed down her cheeks.
In addition to Madu, five Gators scored in double-digits, including
Bartley with 14 and Allen with 13.
But it wasn't enough to score another upset and a fifth straight
win.
Afterwards, Butler said the NCAA Tournament selection committee
should take notice of what the Gators accomplished down the
stretch.
"I think we showed a lot here at the end of the season and here at
this tournament," Butler said, "that we're a team that deserves to
be in the field of 64."
