University of Florida All-American Vanessa Hayden led a balanced scoring attack and a stifling defense in the Gator's 62-49 victory over Temple at the Liacouras Center.
Hayden scored 15 points with 17 rebounds and seven blocks, as UF improved to 10-3 overall, which surpassed the Gator's entire win total from last year.
"It feels great," UF head coach Carolyn Peck said of the team's 10th win. "To get that hurdle off our backs from last year was big."
The Gators next open their Southeastern Conference slate traveling to Oxford, Miss., to play Mississippi on Thursday, January 8 beginning at 9 p.m. ET.
Tashia Morehead posted her first career double-double, recording 14 points with 11 rebounds. Bernice Mosby added 13 points with five boards, while Tishona Gregory scored 12.
With her seventh block of the night, Hayden moved into third place all-time in Southeastern Conference history, passing Georgia's Katrina McClain who swatted 290 during her All-American career.
The Gator defense held Temple (4-6) to just two points in the final 13:05 of the first half, while ending the period with a 15-2 run and turning a 3-point deficit into a 25-13 halftime lead. The Owls shot only 21.4 percent from the field during those first 20 minutes and missed 14 straight field goal attempts during a 8:04 span.
The Gators committed a quick turnover to begin the second half and Temple scored the first bucket. But Tishona Gregory responded with a three-pointer that was followed by a trey from TU's Cynthia Jordan. However, the Gators ripped off a 9-2 run with five points from Vanessa Hayden that gave UF 37-20 lead and the Gators never looked back en route to the win.
UF also dominated the boards, outrebounding Temple 47-33. The Gators also held the Owls to just 33.9 percent shooting during the game.
Temple grabbed an early 11-8 lead behind some offensive putbacks, but once the Gators began to secure the boards they turned up their defensive intensity which translated on the offensive end of the floor. Tishona Gregory's crossover dribble from the top to the key allowed her to coast down the lane where she was fouled. Gregory made both free throws that ignited a 12-0 run lasting seven minutes, as UF took a 20-11 lead with 5:01 remaining in the first half. Candice Dupree finally ended the Owl scoring drought with a short jumper, but Tashia Morehead answered immediately for the Gators with a three-pointer from the left side to extend UF's lead to 10 points, 23-13, with 3:52 left on the clock. That was the last points either team would score until Danielle Santos blocked Toni Belafonte's 6-footer with less than five seconds remaining. Santos then grabbed the missed shot and heaved the ball down court to a streaking Gregory, who sank a layup at the buzzer to give UF a 25-13 halftime advantage.
Florida held Temple to a 21.4 percent shooting effort in the first half, as the Owls managed 6-of-28 from the floor. The Gators, who shot 36.7 percent, also held a distinct rebounding advantage, winning the battle of the boards 24-18. Tashia Morehead led UF with seven points with several of those coming off tough offensive rebound putbacks, while Vanessa Hayden tallied four points with nine rebounds and four blocks.
END OF REPORT
