FREEPORT, Grand Bahamas Island – Junior Steffi Sorensen scored a career-high 14 points and Florida’s bench contributed 25 points in Florida’s 67-56 win over Southern Illinois Friday afternoon in the first round of the Junkanoo Jam at St. Georges High School.
It was the Gators’ fifth consecutive victory and put Florida (5-1) into the championship game today at 2:45 p.m. against No. 21 Arizona State. The Sun Devils beat Hofstra, 80-55, in the other game.
Sorensen’s 3-pointer to start the second half and Marshae Dotson’s offensive rebound and basket broke a 31-31 halftime stalemate. But Southern Illinois (2-1) scraped back to forge a 38-38 tie.
Reserve Trumae Lucas hit a long jumper and reserve Ndidi Madu followed with a short jumper under the bucket to keep Florida in the lead. After the Salukies hit one field goal, Florida responded with a 10-2 spurt and assumed a 52-42 lead with 8:46 remaining.
With Florida leading 54-46, Sorensen hit her third 3-pointer of the game to start a 7-0 clinching run. Azania Stewart and Sharielle Smith helped offensively and Florida led 61-46 with four minutes left.
Smith joined Sorensen as the only other Gator in double-figure scoring, contributing 12 points along with a game-high eight rebounds, hitting 4-of-5 from the field and all four of her attempts from the free-throw line, where she is now 21-of-22 shooting this season.
Eleven of the 12 Gators scored as Florida’s bench outscored Southern Illinois’ reserves, 25-6. The Gators also shot more accurately from the field during the final 20 minutes, hitting 45 percent (14 of 31) compared to 37 percent (11 of 30) in the first half during which they committed 13 of their 16 turnovers during the game.
“In the second half, our bench was crucial,” Florida coach Amanda Butler said. “The first five we put out on the floor didn’t start the second half the way we wanted so we replaced them with five new players and they responded with great energy and intensity. We knew our depth could be the difference in this game and our bench really stepped up.”
Dotson and Sha Brooks, two of Florida’s top three scorers entering the game, were hampered by foul trouble and never quite found their stride, but the Gators never missed a beat. Stewart came off the pine to score five points with five rebounds and Susan Yenser recorded five points, three boards and made an impact defensively.
“It’s a comfort to know that Sha and Marshae don’t have to carry the offensive load for us every game,” Butler said. “Azania really responded to our challenge at halftime to be tougher. She played with greater intensity and made a big difference for us in the second half.”
Jasmine Gibson scored 16 points to lead three Salukies in double figures for the first-ever meeting against the Gators, who held a 42-32 rebounding edge and forced 20 turnovers.
GATOR NOTES: Brooks and Dotson were playing in the 100th games of their careers. … Dotson has grabbed at least one rebound in each of the 100 games she
has played and has scored in 99, including in each of the last 71. … Brooks had two steals against Southern Illinois and upped her career total to 197, needing three more to become the sixth Gator to collect 200 in a career. … Florida has outrebounded each of its six opponents this season. … Florida will be aiming to win a tournament that it has not hosted for the first time since Nov. 19, 2005, when the Gators captured the Seton
Hall Basketball Classic after victories against St. Francis (N.Y.) and Seton Hall.