Florida Women’s Basketball Beats Chattanooga

The Florida women’s basketball team had its first official “away” game Monday night in Chattanooga, Tennessee against the Chattanooga Mocs who put up a good fight before losing 72-61 to the Gators.

Great road win tonight at UTC! #LifeInTheFastLane 🐊🏀🛣 #RunWithUs pic.twitter.com/hL17gdfanm

— Gators Women’s Basketball (@GatorsWBK) November 15, 2016

The Mocs, in the Southern Conference, won their league title last season and made it to the NCAA Tournament and they are favored to win their league again this year.  The Mocs are a tough team, especially at their home court. This away win proved that the Gators can hang with the tough teams.

Sophomore Eleanna Christinaki scored a career high 29 points, the most since 2013 by a Gator, and junior Haley Lorenzen matched her career high with 16 points. Gator coach Amanda Butler was pleased with Christinaki and her teammates and says the Gators are at their best when scoring is balanced.

The Mocs made a run in the third quarter by outscoring Florida 23-17 and had a 51-50 lead. Christinaki then hit a 15 foot jumper with two seconds left in the third giving the Gators a lead into the fourth quarter.

Lorenzen opened the scoring in the fourth quarter but then UTC added a three point play to tie the score at 54.  Later Christinaki hit a turn around eight footer in the paint and senior Ronni Williams, who ended the game with 10 points and eight rebounds, added a jumper that gave the Orange and blue a 63-58 lead with 6:06 on the clock.

With 4:38 left, UTC added a three and shortened Florida’s lead 63-61. The Gators then closed the game on a 9-0 run with a three from junior Dyandria Anderson, and four more from Lorenzen that gave the Gators their 72-61 win.

Butler says that this game will help build her team’s confidence in a “baby-step” way, as they don’t want to get too caught up because there is still plenty of work to be done.

Up next the Gators will travel not too far from Gainesville, to Ocala, as the home team to face Temple on Saturday.