There were freezing temperatures outside the Stephen C. O'Connell Center, but sixth-ranked LSU burned up the nets inside, shooting 61.1 percent in the first half en route to a 94-54 victory over the University of Florida women's basketball team.
Using its ninth different starting lineup, Florida (8-9, 0-5 SEC) lost its fifth consecutive game for the first time since the 1985-86 season. LSU improved to 16-1 (4-1 SEC).
For several minutes in the second half, the Gators played with all five freshmen on the floor at the same time and it was the rookies who led Florida offensively. Freshman Bernice Mosby (Brooksville, Fla.) paced the Gators with 14 points and 11 rebounds, her seventh double-double of her career. Fellow frosh Dalila Eshe (Tallahassee, Fla.) was the other Gator in double figures with 11 points and was one short of a double-double with nine rebounds.
"We had two freshmen score in double figures," UF head coach Carolyn Peck said. "I'm excited because soon I'll get to sit there and say 'look at our veterans.' It might take us a year or two, but we'll get there."
The Gators matched the Lady Tigers point for point in the first 10 minutes of the second half, as each team scored 19 points (66-41). Freshman Danielle Santos (Marietta, Ga.) nailed two free throws to cut the Gator deficit to 74-45, but LSU pulled away further with a 14-4 run to take an 87-49 lead. Florida's shooting percentage improved in the second half to 41.2 percent (14-of-34) from the floor.
LSU senior Ke-Ke Tardy scored a game-high 16 points, while senior Aiysha Smith added 15 points with eight rebounds. Junior Roneeka Hodges contributed 12 for the Lady Tigers, who shot 58.0 percent (40-69) from the floor during the game, while hitting 5-of-11 from the 3-point line and 9-of-10 from the free throw stripe. LSU tallied 29 assists for its 40 made shots, while committing just nine turnovers.
Florida jumped out to a 4-2 lead in the first half. Eshe's 15-footer tied the game at 7-7, but Temeka Johnson countered with a 17-footer. Tishona Gregory (Romulus, MI) then nailed a outside jumper, before Aiysha Smith tallied four straight points to give the Lady Tigers a 13-9 advantage with 14:21 remaining in the half. Gregory then found Brittany Davis open under the basket, as she answered for the Gators. But LSU pulled away with an 16-0 run over the next six minutes to take a 31-11 lead. Sophomore Kelly Stevenson's (Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.) three-pointer finally ended the Tigers run with 7:53 left in the first half. LSU held Florida scoreless for 2 minutes before Santos sparked a 6-2 Gator run to cut the deficit to 39-20 with 2:04 left on the clock. LSU led 47-22 at the half.
Eleven of Florida's 31 rebounds were off of the offensive glass, an improvement Peck noticed.
"I told our players that I was pleased with their post game inside," Peck said. "They really got after it."
The Gators next head north to face George Washington in a non-conference battle on Sunday, Jan. 26 at 1 p.m. The game can be heard through GatorZone.com.
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