Special on Florida Gators women’s basketball team:
PANAMA CITY, Fla. – Junior Brooke Copeland knocked down back-to-back three-pointers early during the fourth quarter that proved to be the dagger shots in Florida’s 67-38 win against North Carolina A&T at Gulf Coast State College’s Billy Harrison Field House on Sunday.
Copeland finished with a team-high 13 points for the fifth double-digit scoring game of her career and first game since netting 11 points at Mississippi State on Feb. 15, 2015.
All eight who dressed for the game scored for the shorthanded Gators, who outscored the Aggies, 23-2, in the fourth quarter, when Florida hit 7-of-14 shots and NCAT managed just 1-of-14.
Freshman Delicia Washington, who was benched for the first half and finished with 10 points, scored the first points of the final quarter before Copeland knocked down the pair of threes that continued Florida’s 5-0 run that ended the third and extended the game-deciding march into a 19-0 run. That spree increased the Gator’s three-point lead into a 58-36 margin with 6:18 remaining.
A bucket by Whitney Martin with four minutes to go was the lone points of the fourth quarter for N.C. A&T, as Florida scored the final eight points for the final margin of victory.
The shorthanded Gators struggled to find their offensive rhythm until that devastating run, as every time Florida seemed to mount a run, the Aggies would come right back. The game was tied at 27 with 6:02 showing on the third quarter clock before Florida used an 11-3 run. NCAT countered with a 6-1 run and cut the Gator’s advantage to three, 39-36, with 1:55 left in the third.
That’s when Haley Lorenzen’s offensive rebound putback ignited the game-changing 19-0 run that started the game-ending 27-2 march.
Individual Numbers of Note
* Junior Brooke Copeland scored a season-high 13 points for her first double-figure scoring game of the year, fifth of her career and first since Feb. 15, 2015.
* Junior Haley Lorenzen collected a career-high 10 rebounds with eight points and scored in her 70th consecutive game (every game she has played during her career)
* Senior Ronni Williams recorded 10 rebounds and nine points; collected the 650th career rebound during the game
* Freshman Delicia Washington scored 10 points for her fourth double-figure scoring game.
Eight is Great
* Seven of the eight Gators who dressed scored at least eight points on Sunday.
* Four Gators scored eight points: Haley Lorenzen, Tyshara Fleming, Dyandria Anderson and Sydney Searcy
* Williams recorded nine points
* Washington added 10 points
* Copeland scored 13 points
Team Numbers of Note
* This was the second time this season the Gators have held their opponent scoring total to the 30s (South Alabama managed 33 points, Nov. 11)
* N.C. A&T shot 22.7 percent (15-66) from the floor, the second-lowest by a Gator opponent this season (19.6 percent by South Alabama)
* Florida out-rebounded the Aggies, 54-38, during the game, including a 16-4 margin in the third quarter.
* The game was Florida’s 10th game as part of a 12-game season-opening road trip, as the Gator’s home arena – Exactech Arena at the O’Connell Center – is undergoing a $64.5 million renovation. Florida’s first home game is scheduled for Dec. 28.
Postgame Links
* Head Coach Amanda Butler – http://youtu.be/6gBgx88hFmk
* Junior Brooke Copeland – http://youtu.be/HKUVgfplC9I
* Final Box – http://floridagators.com/documents/2016/12/11/NC_A_T_Florida_WBB_Box_Score.pdf
First-Time Florida Foes
* North Carolina A&T is one of five teams on UF’s schedule that the Gators will play for the first time.
* The other first-time foes: Chattanooga, Northwestern, Wofford and Southeastern Louisiana.
A Glance at the Aggies
* Dana Brown, who scored a game-high 16 points connecting on 5-17 from behind the arc on Sunday, entered the game leading NCAT in scoring (14.3 ppg), with the bulk of her scoring coming behind the arc. She was hitting 37.1 percent (26-70) from beyond the arc, with 26 of her 30 made fields goals coming from deep.
* Four different Aggies have been the team’s leading scorer in a game this year.
* Only two of the team’s seven games have come at home.
* NCAT played Auburn at home on Nov. 17 and dropped the 68-36 decision. The Gators open their SEC season against Auburn on January 1.
* In his four previous seasons coaching at his alma mater, head coach Tarrell Robinson has guided the Aggies to three postseason appearances, including last year’s NCAA Tournament berth after winning the MEAC Tournament title.
Updated Team Records
* Florida: 7-3
* N.C. A&T: 1-7
National Ranking
* Florida: No. 23 Associated Press; No. 25 USA Today/WBCA
* N.C A&T: not ranked
What’s Next?
* Following the game, the Gators will take a nine-day break from competition and turn their attention exclusively to the classroom, where final exams are being held December 10, 12-16.
* Commencement is Dec. 16-17 and will be held in the newly renovated Exactech Arena at the O’Connell Center. It’s the first event in the building that’s also the game day home of Gator Basketball!
* The Gators return to the court on Dec. 20 and 21 to compete in the Florida Sunshine Classic in Winter Park, Fla. Florida plays Indiana on Tuesday at 7:45 p.m. and then Florida A&M on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.
The Next Gator Game Day at a Glance
* When: Tue.-Wed., Dec. 20-21
* Who: Dec. 20: Florida vs. Indiana – 7:45 p.m. ET; Dec. 21: Florida vs. Florida A&M – 5:30 p.m. ET
* Where: Winter Park, Fla. * Rollins College’s Alfond Sports Arena
* What: Florida Sunshine Classic