Photo Gallery: Women’s Hoops

Photos by Casey Brooke Lawson

No. 15 Florida’s senior class combined for 44 points and 16 rebounds to direct the Gators to an 82-66 victory against South Carolina on Senior Day Sunday in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center.

The Gators (23-5, 9-4 Southeastern Conference), who picked up their 300th all-time home win, led the entire game and fought off several intense comeback efforts by the Gamecocks (10-15, 2-10 SEC) to notch their 23rd win, one shy of the program’s all-time record.

Senior guard Sha Brooks scored a game-high 24 points in just over 39 minutes of action, marking her 10th 20-plus point performance this season. Brooks started her school-record 119th consecutive game, knocking down five 3-pointers, going a perfect 5-for-5 from the free-throw line, dishing out a game-high eight assists and bringing down a team-high six rebounds.

Senior forward Marshae Dotson added 18 points, blocked two shots and added five rebounds, while senior center Aneika Henry chipped in five rebounds with three assists.

Junior forward Sharielle Smith tallied 12 points and freshman center Azania Stewart tied her career high with three blocks.

Florida shot 50.9 percent (27-of-53) from the floor in the game and connected on 85.7 percent (18-of-21) from the charity stripe – its highest free-throw percentage in a league game this season. The Gators won the battle of the boards 38-34 and knocked down 10 3-pointers, the seventh time this season they’ve sank double-digit treys.

Seniors Brooks, Kim Critton, Dotson and Henry each were honored in a Senior Day celebration following Sunday’s game in recognition of the quartet playing its final regular-season home game. Each of the four seniors was taken out of the game with 20 seconds remaining to a standing ovation by the O’Connell Center crowd.

Photos by Casey Brooke Lawson

Photo Gallery: Women’s Basketball vs. South Carolina, 2/22/09

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