Senior Dalila Eshe scored 20 points with eight rebounds and four steals leading the University of Florida women's basketball team to a 58-55 victory over No. 18/16 Temple (6-1) at The Liacouras Center Saturday evening.
Florida (5-1) led by seven points with just over four minutes remaining and staved off a furious comeback attempt to collected its first win over a ranked opponent since Feb. 29, 2004, when the Gators upset No. 18 Auburn on the road 71-60
“This was a really hard-fought game,” UF head coach Carolyn Peck said. “I'm proud of my team. We were playing on the road against a ranked team, an undefeated team that was playing well, and we got it done. Our senior post players have really stepped up this season and I couldn't be more proud. All of our seniors showed great leadership and again we got a solid effort from our bench.”
Senior forward Brittany Davis added 11 points with seven rebounds and three steals, while freshman Sha Brooks tallied 10 points for Florida, which shot 38.9 percent for the game and was outrebounded 38-33.
The Gators' defense was the key, forcing 26 turnovers that they converted into 20 points. UF also held All-American Candice Dupree to just eight points on 4-of-11 shooting.
“We were able to keep Candice Dupree in single digits and that was a key. We were going to let other get points, but we didn't want her to beat us.”
Kamesha Hairston was the only Owl in double-figures, scoring 24 points. Lady Comfort collected 10 rebounds for Temple, which shot 44.9 percent from the floor, including a 7-of-14 effort from the three-point line.
Temple scored the first four points of the second half, benefiting from two quick Gator turnovers to cut UF's lead to one, 34-33. Dalila Eshe hit a three-pointer from the top of the arc to start the scoring for the Gators, extending UF's lead back to four, 37-33, just two minutes into the half.
The Owls reduced UF's lead to one twice in the next minute and a half, but the Gators responded both times with a bucket. Jennifer Owens finally tied the game with a three-pointer before Kamesha Hairston came up with a steal on UF's ensuing possession and sank the layin to give Temple a 44-42 advantage, their first lead since early in the opening period. Danielle Santos hit a slashing jumper in the lane to tie the game with 11:44 remaining.
Florida turned the ball over seven times during the first 10 minutes of the second half and missed several short shots, but kept its composure and used a 7-2 run to turn a two-point Temple lead into a 49-46 advantage with under eight minutes remaining in the game.
The teams traded buckets before Eshe and Brittany Davis hit the next two field goals and extended UF's lead to seven, 55-48, with 4:10 remaining.
But Jennifer Owens ended Temple's offensive dry spell with a huge three-pointer with 2:33 on the clock, as the Owls closed within four, 55-51. The teams then traded turnovers on four straight possessions. Owens then hit one free throw to close the gap with 1:39 remaining. After UF missed a shot, Temple collected the rebound and missed one of its own. As Brittany Davis stood on the baseline to inbound the ball, Lady Comfort touched the ball which resulted in a technical four and Danielle Santos hit the two free throws to bring the lead back to five, 57-52 with 1:10 on the clock. Davis added one free throw with 28 seconds remaining, before Kamesha Hairston sank three free throws after being fouled attempting a trey with 19.5 seconds left, cutting UF's lead to three, 58-55. Depree Bowden was fouled but missed the front end of a one-and-one with 12.3 ticks on the clock and Temple set up for the game-tying shot, which Owens banged off the front of the rim as the buzzer sounded.
“This was a good win for us and we'll celebrate it on the bus until we get onto the airplane,” Peck said. “They our focus has to turn to our next opponent, South Alabama, who we play on Monday.”
Florida used an 11-2 run early in the first half to build five point lead, which later grew to seven. During the run the Gators were sorely outrebounded, but forced nine Temple turnovers in the opening 12 minutes.
The Owls slowly whittled UF's lead down to one point, 28-27, with just over four minutes remaining, but the Gators followed with a finesse post game, as seniors Brittany Davis and Dalila Eshe accounted for the next six points of the game, to lift UF to a seven-point advantage with 30 seconds left in the half. But Kamesha Hairston worked Temple's final possession to perfection, driving inside for a four-foot pull-up jumper at the buzzer, as the Gators took a 34-29 halftime lead.
Florida did recover on the boards, pulling to within four, 20-16. Temple committed 12 miscues during the first half, as UF collected eight steals. Offensively, Eshe's 12 points led seven Gators who scored as UF shot 40.6 percent compared to Temple's 44.4 percent mark.
The Owls entered the game hitting a woeful 17.6 percent (13-74) from the three-point arc, but it was the long range shot that kept the home team in the game during the first half, as Temple hit 5-of-8 during the opening period.
Florida's defense collapsed on All-American Candice Dupree in the paint, holding her to just four points in the opening half, but leaving the perimeter tempting to the Owls, who made the Gators pay.
The Gators begin a program-long eight game home stand on Monday, playing host to South Alabama at the O'Connell Center beginning at 7 p.m.
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