Gator Country

Florida sophomore center Azania Stewart blocks a shot by Southern guard Tiffany Foster during the Gators' 62-35 win against the Jaguars 62-35 in the O'Connell Center on Sunday. / Gator Country photo by Casey Brooke Lawson

Sophomore center Azania Stewart had her second straight career-scoring game at home Sunday afternoon, tallying 18 points to lead Florida to a 62-35 victory over Southern University in the first round of the Gator Holiday Classic at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center.

Florida evened its season record at 5-5 thanks to Stewart’s offensive output and a second-half defense that limited Southern (6-3) to 13 second-half points on 13.5 shooting (5 of 37). For the game, Southern shot 20.3 percent (14 of 69) while Florida connected on 44.7 percent (21 of 47).

“It was a good win,” Florida head coach Amanda Butler said. “For us to carry out a great defensive game plan as we did was very rewarding.”

Stewart, who had 17 points in the team’s last home game Dec. 1 against Florida A&M, scored her 18 points with the help of 8-of-10 shooting.

“It’s great to get out and compete against another team other than ourselves,” said Stewart, a native of England.

Each of the 13 Florida players who suited up for the game saw playing time, including senior guard Jennifer Mossor, who has not played since Jan. 8 because of a variety of injuries, and junior Ebonie Crawford, who has been hindered by Achilles tendonitis.

Senior forward Sharielle Smith scored eight points and brought down eight rebounds. Jennifer George had eight points.

The Gators took a 30-22 advantage into the locker room at intermission after shooting 44.0 percent (11-of-25) from the floor, including five 3-pointers. The Jaguars were limited to just 28.1 percent (9-of-32) from the field and were out-rebounded 24-15.

Florida scored nine of the game’s first 12 points, the last coming on Steffi Sorensen 3-pointer at the 16:33 mark. But Southern ran off seven straight points to take a 10-9 lead, its only lead of the game. But Stewart scored on a layup and the Gators never trailed again, eventually going to the locker room with a 30-22 lead at the intermission.

After a slow start in the second half, Florida put together a 13-2 run to move the lead to 43-24 with 13:28 left in the game and the lead got to 29 points shortly before the end of the game.

Florida meets High Point in the championship game Monday at 7 p.m. High Point advanced with a 66-58 victory over William & Mary, which meets Southern in the consolation at 4:30 p.m.

Photo Gallery: UF Women’s Basketball vs. Southern, 12/20/09 (click here to view gallery)

DIRECTORY OF GATOR COUNTRY PHOTO GALLERIES

About the author

jumper42

Casey Brooke Lawson earned a B.S. in journalism from the University of Florida in December 2008. Lawson was born in Sarasota, Fla., but now still resides in Gainesville, Fla. Lawson picked up her first camera before she could walk, and now, 24 years later, she has made a career of her first love. She has been working as a photojournalist for eight years. She began at her high school, Sarasota High School, interned with the Gainesville Sun, Sarasota Herald Tribune, The Independent Florida Alligator and Sports Illustrated. Now, Lawson is a regularly contributing photojournalist for Gator Country. Trained in sports photography by Gator Country's own Tim Casey, sports photojournalism has become one of Lawson's favorite parts of her job.

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