NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Florida committed 23 turnovers and couldn’t counter Vanderbilt’s 3-point shooting barrage as the No. 9 Gators dropped an 84-68 Southeastern Conference women’s basketball decision Thursday evening at Memorial Gymnasium.
The loss snapped Florida’s program-record, seven-game winning streak against SEC opponents as the Gators fell to 22-3 overall and 8-2 in league play.
Vanderbilt hit 13 of 23 shots from behind the 3-point line, including 8-of-13 by junior Merideth Marsh, who finished one shy of the school record while totaling a career-high 26 points and led four Commodores in double-figure scoring. Christina Wirth added 20 points, hitting 5-of-6 from long range and 6-of-8 overall. The 13 3-point goals were one shy of the record by a Florida opponent.
Azania Stewart, a freshman center from England, was a bright spot for Florida as she scored a career-high 16 points, hitting 7-of-12 from the field and grabbing seven rebounds, also a career-best. Steffi Sorensen added 11 points, hitting 2-of-6 3-pointers.
Sha Brooks, UF’s leading scorer and the second-leading scorer in the SEC, scored just seven points and had three assists before fouling out with 4:37 remaining, just the second time in her career she has collected five personals in a game.
Vanderbilt scored the first 12 points of the game and assumed a 17-point lead, 24-7, a little more than 11 minutes into the contest. Florida tried to battle back and actually cut the deficit to six points with 3:01 remaining in the opening period, but foul trouble, turnovers and sharp Commodores’ shooting prevented the Gators from getting any closer.
“Vanderbilt played an outstanding game,” Florida head coach Amanda Butler said. “We just got outplayed. They were tougher than us. We got out-hustled. We got out-coached. You just have to give them every bit of credit for the outcome of this ballgame. They set the tone and we were chasing them the whole ballgame. I’m proud of the way Azania Stewart.”
Florida shot 53 percent from the field (27-of-51) but just 45 percent from the free-throw line (9-of-20). Vanderbilt (18-6, 7-2 SEC) connected on 44.8 percent from the floor (26-of-58) and 70.4 percent from the stripe (19-of-27), while holding a 36-32 rebounding edge.
The teams combined for 46 personal fouls, while Vanderbilt was able to score 26 points off of Florida’s 23 miscues.
Florida will try to regroup Sunday at noon in Baton Rouge where the Gators play LSU (12-9, 5-4 SEC) in a nationally televised game on FSN.
SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL STANDINGS
Conference Overall
W L Pct. GB W L Pct.
Auburn 9 1 .900 — 24 1 .960
Florida 8 2 .800 1 22 3 .880
Vanderbilt 8 2 .800 1 19 6 .760
Tennessee 7 3 .700 2 18 6 .750
Miss. State 6 4 .600 3 19 6 .760
Georgia 5 4 .556 3½ 15 9 .625
LSU 5 4 .556 3½ 12 9 .571
Mississippi 4 6 .400 5 15 10 .600
Arkansas 3 7 .300 6 14 11 .560
Kentucky 3 7 .300 6 13 12 .520
South Carolina 1 9 .100 8 9 14 .391
Alabama 0 10 .000 9 12 13 .480
THIS WEEK
Thursday, Feb. 12
Vanderbilt 84, Florida 68
Auburn 81, Kentucky 69
Tennessee 80, Alabama 61
Arkansas 58, South Carolina 54
Mississippi State 66, Mississippi 50
Sunday, Feb. 15
Florida at Louisiana State, 1 p.m.
Georgia at Vanderbilt, 1 p.m. (ESPN2)
Mississippi at Arkansas, 3 p.m.
Auburn at Mississippi State, 3 p.m.
Alabama at South Carolina, 3 p.m.
NEXT WEEK
Monday, Feb. 16
Duke at Tennessee, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
Thursday, Feb. 19
Arkansas at Florida, 7 p.m.
Louisiana State at Georgia, 7 p.m.
Tennessee at Kentucky, 7 p.m.
Mississippi at Alabama, 7 p.m.
Auburn at Vanderbilt, 9 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 22
South Carolina at Florida, 1 p.m.
Georgia at Auburn, 3 p.m.
Alabama at Arkansas, 3 p.m.
Kentucky at Louisiana State, 3 p.m.
Vanderbilt at Mississippi, 3 p.m.
Mississippi State at Tennessee, 3 p.m.