Gator Country

Steffi Sorenson scored nine points in her final home game as a Gator / Gator Country Photo by Tim Casey

The Gators have used 11 different starting lineups this season, but Sunday's starters weren't chosen to plug an ole’ on defense or secure more shots on the other end. They started because they were seniors.

Even if coach Amanda Butler insists that’s not the case.

“The starting lineup, certainly, senior night was a small part of it, but the bigger part of it was we felt like that was the best five to start the ball game,” Butler said after the Gators (14-14, 7-9 SEC) dropped a 66-61 decision to Alabama (12-17, 4-12 SEC) at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. “We felt like that was the best five to set the tone and really get us out of the gate quickly. We didn’t get out of the gates quickly in either half, which is disappointing.”

The slow-starting Gators had problems getting their offense in gear as they fell behind by 14 points to start both the first and second halves. They rallied back in the first half to an eight-point deficit (34-26) and they closed within three (59-56) with 2:59 remaining in the game but couldn’t get over the hump to close the Crimson Tide out.

The Gators outrebounded the Tide, had more steals and fewer turnovers, but couldn’t keep up in the points department. The season-long plague of bad shooting hurt the Gators (31.7 percent from the field, 8.7 percent on three-pointers) and that, coupled with Alabama’s hot shooting (51 percent from the floor and 41.7 percent from behind the arc) was just too much for Florida to overcome.

“We’re very disappointed,” Butler said. “No disrespect to Alabama whatsoever, but I thought with the intensity of practice and with the special night honoring our seniors and the fact that we lost the first time we played them, I thought we were gonna have a different outcome.”

The loss stung for those five seniors—Sharielle Smith, Lonnika Thompson, Steffi Sorensen, Susan Yenser and Jenifer Mossor --- who were honored after the game with flowers and framed jerseys.

For Steffi Sorensen, who walked on before earning a scholarship and starting every game as a Gator, it was an emotional night.

“It’s certainly been a journey, and that’s what made this game so hard,” Sorensen said. “Just walking out there and seeing my coach and thinking about how hard I’ve had to work to get here and being honored the way I feel like --- other people aren’t honored with flowers and people wearing their jerseys. Growing up, I never imagined I’d be here. And so it’s been a blessing, and it’s been awesome.

“It’s an honor just to wear a Florida jersey, and I take a lot of pride in that.”

Sorensen had a tough night shooting and put the blame solely on herself. She went 3-13, scoring nine points and adding nine rebounds. The Gators’ top scorer was freshman center Jennifer George, who had double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds.

After the game, she reflect on what the senior class has meant to her during her first season in the SEC.

“I feel like the senior class has helped me a lot through everything,” George said. “I feel like they helped the whole team with their leadership and their guidance.”

The Gators will turn their attention to either Auburn or South Carolina in the first round of the SEC Tournament in Duluth, Ga. Sorensen is ready to rebound from this game and find a better finish to her Florida career.

“Anytime you lose a game,” she said, “that’s motivation. That’s just basketball.”

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