TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Cassie Peoples scored all of her game-high 18-points in the second half in helping Florida earn a 53-49 victory against Alabama at Foster Auditorium on Thursday evening in the final regular-season road game for the Gators.
The Florida junior scored eight points, including back-to-back three-point-plays, during a crucial 21-10 run after Alabama took a 32-24 lead with 15:53 remaining in the game.
Peoples' second three-point-play gave Florida a 45-42 lead with 4:12 left.
Alabama's Karyla Middlebrook, who scored a team-best 15 points, came back with a bucket and tied the score. The Tide then missed the front end of a one-and-one but collected the offensive board. The Gators weren't able to corral the miss board but after another Alabama field goal went awry, Ronni Williams skied for the rebound and the Gators capitalized when Peoples sank the first of two impressive drives that resulted in layups within a 36-second span.
Alabama scored twice more and fouled the Gators immediately after both makes. Florida stepped up to the line and Williams converted both of her one-and-one tries with 14.8 seconds on the clock and Peoples capped the game's scoring with two at the line with 3.6 ticks on the clock.
The victory marked Florida's fourth SEC road win of the season and the became the first Gator squad to win as many away from the O'Connell Center since the 2005-06 Florida team won as many.
Alabama closed the first half on a 10-2 run and extended it into the second half where the Tide scored six straight points after Cassie Peoples scored the first points of the period and took a 32-24 lead.
Brooke Copeland ended Florida's three-point shooting drought that extended back to the February 19 game against Vanderbilt and started a 7-2 swing for the Gators, who closed within three points, 34-31, with 12:58 remaining.
The teams traded scorers for the next two minutes and with Alabaman holding a 39-33 lead, Ronni Williams sparked a run of six consecutive points for the Gators, who got two free throws from January Miller and a bucket from Peoples.
After a bucket from Alabama, Peoples produced a pair of consecutive three-point-plays and put Florida in the lead for good.
Florida led by as many as six points twice during the first half and Alabama always answered with a bucket that kept the Gators close.
After Carla Batchelor converted a pair of free throws with 5:44 remaining in the first half, Alabama drilled a three-pointer 13 seconds later and ended the period on a 10-2 run to take a 25-22 halftime lead.
Williams also recorded a double-figure scoring effort, netting 10 points with a game-high-tying seven rebounds.
Updated Records: Florida 13-15, 5-10 SEC … Alabama 3-17, 2-13 SEC
Home Away from Home?
· This was UF's fourth road win of the SEC season.
· Four of the Gator's five SEC wins this year have come away from the O'Connell Center.
· The 2005-06 Florida squad was the last to earn four or more conference road wins in a season.
· Thursday's game was Florida's fourth in a five-game stretch of road games and the Gators posted a 2-3 record in those hostile venues, with the game against Alabama the only one versus a unranked opponent.
· Florida was assigned with just three home games during the second half of its 16-game SEC schedule.
Last Chance to See Us in the O'Dome
· The Gators play their final home game on Sunday, March 1 when the team plays host to Georgia.
· Kayla Lewis, the team's lone senior, will be honored in a postgame ceremony.
Gators vs. Tide: The UPDATED Series
· Alabama leads the overall 55-game series, 29-26, but the Gators have been making up ground in the last few years.
· Florida has won the last five meetings against the Crimson Tide, as well as 10 of the last 13.
· UF Home: 14-7; Away: 9-12; Neutral: 3-10
· The last three games between the teams have been decided by eight points or less, including the 67-61 outcome on February 24, 2013, in the last game played in Tuscaloosa prior to tonight.
Quick Quotes from UF Head Coach Amanda Butler:
“This was a fantastic SEC battle. This league is so grueling and this is one of the tougher places to play in our league and we take a lot of pride to be able to come in here and do this tonight. It was a group effort. We had a fantastic effort from Cassie Peoples down the stretch and that was real important for us. There's not one thing or one reason why we were able to win. It was a collection. We made sure we were pushing the ball in the right direction and at the right times.”
On Cassie Peoples' second-half performance:
“She did a great job of picking her spots in the second half. She didn't play a great first half so to come back and I'm proud of her maturity.”
Three-Pointer Finally Falls
· Brooke Copeland's three-pointer with 15:11 remaining in the game halted Florida's long-range draught.
· The Gators missed 20 consecutive three-point shot attempts before Copeland's make.
· Florida missed its final two attempts against Vanderbilt on February 19.
· Its last make was with 3:05 remaining in the first half against the Commodores and the team went 0-8 at Texas A&M on Feb. 22 and missed its first six attempts against Alabama.
First Half Wrap:
· Halftime Score: Alabama 25, Florida 22
· Fifth straight game trailing at halftime
· Leading Scorers: Lorenzen 8 points (UF); Rivers 5 points (AL)
· Standout Stat: three-point shooting – Alabama 5-11; Florida 0-4
· The Gators hit nine total field goals during the first half and the Tide eight and both teams when 4-for-4 from the free throw line.
· The long-ball was the difference in the first 20 minutes, when Alabama sank five three-pointers and Florida was unable to convert any of its four attempts.
Start Me Up:
· Gator Starters: Miller, Needles, Lewis, Copeland, Lorenzen
· Second time for this starting five; also vs. Wisconsin, Dec. 10
· Lewis started 61st straight game
· Copeland made 12th straight start
· Miller started for first time since January 11 at Missouri
· Second half starters: Lorenzen, Needles, Anderson, Peoples and Williams
Next Gator Game:
· Who: Georgia (17-10, 5-9 SEC) at Florida (13-15, 5-10 SEC)
· Where: Stephen C. O'Connell Center * Gainesville, Florida
· When: Sunday, March 1, 2015 * 3 p.m. ET
· TV: SEC Network with Cara Capuano and Steffi Sorensen
Special Promotions for Sunday's Game:
· Senior Day - Senior Kayla Lewis will be honored following the game!
· Family 4 Pack Sunday - Fans can purchase 4 general admission tickets, 4 hot dogs, and 4 sodas for only $20!
· Champions of Character - Elementary and middle schools in Alachua, Marion, Columbia, Bradford and Putnam counties are invited to one of two select games. Students and faculty/staff will receive a free ticket. Each school is allowed to select up to 10 outstanding students to be recognized at halftime. Guests of students will receive $1 general admissions tickets! For more information, email CaitlinH@Gators.ufl.edu.
· Kids Layup Line - Kids 12 and under will be able to participate in post-game layups on the court for 15 minutes.
· Backpack Giveaway - Free Florida Women's Basketball backpacks to the first 750 fans!
· Campus Challenge Championship - The two winners of the semifinals will compete for the Campus Challenge Championship! Residence hall communities on campus will compete against each other in a March Madness style attendance competition for a chance to win prizes and unique opportunities with Florida Women's Basketball! One student who checks in will win an iPad mini!
For all of the latest information on Florida women's basketball:
Official Website: www.gatorzone.com/basketball/women
Facebook: www.facebook.com/FloridaWomensBasketball
Twitter: @GatorZoneWBK and @CoachButlerUF
Instagram: GatorzoneWBK
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