Special report on the Florida Gators women’s basketball team:
OXFORD Miss. – Florida used a devastating 27-4 run in the first quarter after Ole Miss opened with an 8-1 lead and the Gators were never threatened again as they defeated the Rebels, 85-65, at The Pavilion at Ole Miss on Sunday afternoon.
VIDEO: UF Head Coach Amanda Butler – http://youtu.be/mBYNVMc9XaI
VIDEO: Ronni Williams and Tyshara Fleming – http://youtu.be/WvPTqIWv4DA
VIDEO: Coach Butler’s postgame interview on SEC Network –http://floridagators.com/watch/?Archive=3526
Six different Gators recorded a double-digit statistic as Florida showed that last Thursday’s win at Tennessee was no fluke, as the Gators earned their second consecutive road win in the Southeastern Conference.
The victory also was Florida’s 14th in 16 games this season, surpassing last year’s entire win total.
Senior Carlie Needles recorded 11 points and scored in double-figures for the third consecutive game, just the second time in her career she has done so. She also went for three straight double-figure scoring games during her sophomore year against Troy, Saint Francis and Tennessee State. Needles’ current run has come against No. 8 Mississippi State, No. 12/11 Tennessee and now at Ole Miss. She also contributed six rebounds and four steals.
Junior Tyshara Fleming scored a team-high 12 points with seven rebounds, as she hit 4-of-5 from the floor and all four free throw attempts.
Junior Ronni Williams logged her sixth double-double of the season and 11th of her career with 11 points and 12 rebounds.
Freshman Eleanna Christinaki dished a career-best 10 assists, while Dyandria Anderson pulled out of a short two-game scoring drought with 10 points.
Senior Cassie Peoples netted 11 points and reached double-figures for the 40th time in her career, as well as a team-leading ninth time this year.
Stat of the Game: Florida turned 21 Ole Miss turnovers into 26 points.
How it Happened – A Quarterly Update:
Fourth Quarter:
- Ole Miss outscored Florida, 16-14
- UF maintained a 20-point lead throughout the entire period
- All 13 Gators played
Third Quarter:
- Florida was outscored, 19-18; only second time this year the Gators have lost the third quarter (also vs. Temple)
- Rebels hit a shot at the buzzer to win the quarter’s scoring.
- UF hit just 33.3 percent (7-21) from the floor, while UM shot 40 percent (8-20)
- The Gators committed seven turnovers that the Rebels turned into five points
At the Half:
- Score: Florida led Ole Miss, 53-30
- UF’s 53 points were the second-most in the first half this year (70 vs. Saint Francis, Dec. 20)
- UF shot a season-best 60.6 percent (20-33) during the first half
- Ole Miss’ 24.3 percent shooting was the second-lowest by a UF opponent in the first half of a game this year
- UF held a 34-2 advantage in points in the paint
- Eleanna Christinaki dished eight assists during the first half
Second Quarter:
- Stat of the Quarter: UF shot 66.7 percent (8-12) in the second quarter
- UF was whistled for its fifth foul of the quarter with 6:26 remaining, withTyshara Fleming picking up her third at the 4:44 mark
- UM couldn’t take advantage of being in the bonus early with a 4-10 free throw performance
- Carlie Needles capped the first half with a game-high 11 points (4-4 FG, 1-1 3FG, 2-2 FT), 2 assists, 2 steals
- Florida outscored Ole Miss 25-15
First Quarter:
- Stat of the Quarter: The Gators used a 27-4 run that flipped a seven-point deficit into a 16-point lead, 28-12
- Florida led 28-15 after the first 10 minutes of play; Gators had lost the first quarter in each of their three previous games
- Ole Miss quickly jumped out to an 8-1 lead in the first 1:19 of the game
- Eight different Gators scored, paced by Carlie Needles‘ seven points
- UF hit 57.1 percent (12-21) of its shots and held a 16-10 rebounding edge
Updated Records:
- Florida: 14-2, 2-1 SEC
- Ole Miss: 9-7, 1-2 SEC
Numbers of Note:
- Florida outrebounded Ole Miss, 62-44
- UF shot 42.9 percent during the game, while Ole Miss hit 28.8 percent
- Florida dished an assist on 22 of its 30 field goals
Doubling their Fun:
- Carlie Needles scored in double-figures for the third consecutive game; second time in her career she has done so (also during sophomore year vs. Troy, Saint Francis and Tennessee State)
- Needles scored in double-figures for fifth time this year; 31st time in career
- Tyshara Fleming scored in double-figures for fourth time in her Gator career; first since career-best 20 vs. Saint Francis (Dec. 20)
- Eleanna Christinaki dished a game and career-best 10 assists
- Dyandria Anderson scored in double-figures for the fourth time this year and in her career
- Ronni Williams scored 11 points with 12 rebounds
A New ‘Pad’ for the Rebels
- Florida was the inaugural women’s basketball opponent at The Pavilion at Ole Miss, a brand new game-day facility for the Rebels.
- This was the second time Florida was the opponent in an SEC arena launch, having been the inaugural foe when Alabama opened Foster Auditorium for women’s basketball on February 13, 2011 (a Gator loss, 64-59).
- Florida was the debut SEC opponent for Auburn Arena on January 11, 2009 (a Gator loss, 81-65).
The Series vs. Ole Miss – UPDATED
- 35-Game Series: UF leads 20-15
- UF Home: 8-9; Away: 12-5; Neutral: 0-1
- 8 of the last 12 games have been decided by 8 points or less
- Ole Miss won last year’s game in Gainesville, 64-57
- The road team has now earned the win in the series in seven of the last eight games.
Sunday’s Gator Win …
- Surpasses the total number of wins the Gators compiled all of the last season (13).
- Tied for the second-best 16-game start in program history, trailing only the 2008-09 club that opened its season 15-1 before losing its second game. Other teams that started 14-2: 2000-01 and 1984-85.
- Marked UF’s fifth win on a true away court this year (5-1 on away courts), as well as the seventh victory away from Gainesville (2-0 neutral site games)
What’s Next for the Gators:
- Who: Georgia at Florida
- When: Thursday, January 14 * 7 p.m. ET
- Where: Stephen C. O’Connell Center * Gainesville, FL