Florida Women’s Basketball Dominates in First Game

The Florida Gator women’s basketball team dominated the entire game against the South Alabama Jaguars Friday Night in Jacksonville as they defeated the Jaguars 85-33 in their first game of the season as 20th ranked Florida shot 53.5 percent from the field.

In the first quarter alone the Gators didn’t even let South Alabama go into the double digits. Florida led with 19-4 in the first quarter and 37-15 at halftime. They then started the second half with a 20-0 run to seal the deal with the win.  Florida’s 52 point win was the largest season opening margin of victory the team has had in its 43 year history.

Florida had 20 steals and 23 assists after leading the SEC in steals last season. They also outscored South Alabama in the paint 56-4.

Florida forward Ronni Williams says that is something her team takes great pride in doing.  “That’s something we take pride on, as a team. Dominating the paint, guards and posts, guards penetrating to the paint to get layups,” she said after the game.

Great Gator team win to kick off the season on Veterans Day! #RunWithUs #GoGators #TLC pic.twitter.com/UTSKDoIsmH

— Gators Women’s Basketball (@GatorsWBK) November 12, 2016

Williams scored 16 points as did Florida’s Eleanna Christinaki and Haley Lorenzen.  Tyshara Fleming added 11 points to the board and freshman Delicia Washington added eight points and added six rebounds in her first game as a Gator.

“I just came out and played my game I knew my teammates had my back, I wasn’t really expecting to have the best game I had so far because I was nervous when I first got there,” Washington said after the game.  Washington says she had 30 family members in the crowd watching her in her first game in the orange and blue.

The Gators had 23 assists on its 38 made baskets; freshman Elif Portakal had five and so did Christinaki.

Gator coach Amanda Butler was very pleased with her team, especially on defense.

“I’m really proud of our defense,” she said.  “We got a lot of easy offense off our defense, but we also did a phenomenal job of executing our half court offense.”

Next Game

Up next the Gators will take on Chattanooga in Chattanooga on Monday.