FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Florida rained 3s down on Arkansas Sunday afternoon to maintain its share of first place in the Southeastern Conference women’s basketball race.
Coach Amanda Butler’s Gators, ranked No. 12 by the Associated Press and No. 16 in the USA Today/ESPN coaches poll, hit a school-record 13 treys (out of 21 attempts) in routing the Razorbacks 94-78 for their 20th victory in 22 outings this season.
Senior Sha Brooks hit a team-high four 3s (in seven attempts) on way to a game-high 25 points as Florida won its fifth consecutive game in the SEC, tying for the second-longest league winning streak in the program’s history. Florida is now 6-1 in the league as are both Auburn and Vanderbilt, which both had victories Sunday afternoon. It’s the 10th time the Gators have reached the 20-win plateau and first time since the 2005-06 season.
Four other Florida players joined Brooks in the trey brigade: Steffi Sorensen was 3-for-6, Lonnika Thompson was 3-of-5, Susan Yenser was 2-for-2 and Sharielle Smith was 1-for-1. Besides reaching double figures for the 12th straight game, Brooks also had a career-high 10 assists for her first career double-double.
Marshae Dotson added 16 points, hitting 6-of-7 from the floor. Thompson tied her career-high with 16 points on 6-of-12 shooting, and Sorensen scored 11 points, connecting on a 3-pointer for the 17th consecutive game, the fourth-longest streak in Gator history.
“We continued to show our versatility as scorers and our 3s were falling tonight,” Butler said after joining former coach Debbie Yow as the only Florida women’s coaches to record 20 victories in their second season. “When you’re on the road, you never expect to shoot that well, but when you do, you have a chance to beat someone on their home floor. Our 3s were very timely, too, always seeming to come when they would cut into our lead.”
Florida shot 53.3 percent (32-of-60) overall from the floor and hit 77.3 percent (17-of-22) from the free-throw line to complete an outstanding shooting display for the game. Ayana Brereton and Lindsay Harris both scored 17 points to lead the Razorbacks (12-10, 1-6 SEC).
Sorensen hit a 3-pointer moments into the second half to give the Gators a 42-30 lead and the basket also sparked a 16-7 run that put Florida up 55-37. But Arkansas battled back, cutting the Florida lead to 13 before the Gators went on a 12-0 run with key baskets by Yenser, freshman Azania Stewart and Brooks, who hit the record-breaking 3-pointer with 10:53 remaining on way to Florida’s 72-47 lead with 9:50 remaining.
“Sometimes I feel like a broken record talking about Sha Brooks and everything she brings to our team,” Butler said. “It seems like every time we need a big bucket or a defensive play, Sha is the one who is in the middle of it.”
Again, Arkansas chipped away with a 10-0 run but Trumae Lucas ended the Razorback rally with a driving layup. The teams then traded baskets and Arkansas got within 12 points, 77-65, with 5½ minutes remaining. But Brooks hit a pair of technical free throws to ignite a 9-0 Florida run that put the game away.
The Gators continue their road swing Thursday when they visit Alabama at 7 p.m. EST. The game will be televised over Comcast Sports South. Florida returns home next Sunday at 2 p.m. to host Tennessee.
SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL STANDINGS
Conference Overall
W L Pct. GB W L Pct.
Auburn 6 1 .857 — 21 1 .955
Florida6 1 .857 — 20 2 .909
Vanderbilt 6 1 .857 — 17 5 .773
Tennessee 5 2 .714 1 16 4 .800
Georgia 5 2 .714 1 15 7 .682
LSU 4 3 .571 2 11 8 .579
Miss. State 3 4 .429 3 16 6 .727
Mississippi 3 4 .429 3 14 8 .636
Kentucky 2 5 .286 4 12 10 .545
Arkansas 1 6 .143 5 12 10 .545
South Carolina 1 6 .143 5 9 11 .450
Alabama 0 7 .000 6 12 10 .545
THIS WEEK
Sunday, Feb. 1
Florida 94, Arkansas 78
Auburn 66, Louisiana State 55
Vanderbilt 88, Alabama 64
Georgia 69, Mississippi State 57
Mississippi 69, Kentucky 60
Monday, Feb. 2
Tennessee at Oklahoma, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
Thursday, Feb. 5
Florida at Alabama, 7 p.m. (CSS)
Mississippi at Auburn, 7 p.m.
South Carolina at Kentucky, 7 p.m.
Georgia at Tennessee, 7 p.m.
Vanderbilt at Mississippi State, 8 p.m.
Arkansas at Louisiana State, 9 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 8
Tennessee at Florida, 2 p.m.
Vanderbilt at Kentucky, 1 p.m.
Arkansas at Georgia, 2:30 p.m.
Auburn at Alabama, 3 p.m.
Louisiana State at Mississippi State, 3 p.m.
Mississippi at South Carolina, 3 p.m.