Gators Women’s Hoops Upsets No. 13 Kentucky in SEC Matchup

The Gator women’s basketball team gets a big road win, defeating nationally ranked Kentucky 70-62 to get their third win against an SEC opponent. This is also the first victory over a top-25 team on the road since 2016.

This is the second time the teams met this season, with the Wildcats defeating the Gators by 20 points in Gainesville the first time. In this game, Kentucky led the Gators for most of the first three quarters.

But a once 14-point lead was overcome by the Gators late in the fourth quarter. The Gators outscored the Wildcats in both frames of the second half, and were able to get a 12 point victory.

Orange & Bluegrass Statement!

Gators knock off No. 13 Kentucky 70-62 in Lexington! pic.twitter.com/wXzgKgRP5T

— Gators Women’s Basketball (@GatorsWBK) February 2, 2020

This was also Florida’s fifth-largest comeback in program history.  With this victory, Florida snapped a five-game losing skid that started with a loss to the Wildcats. This loss is Kentucky’s second  at home.

For the 13th time this season, the Gators out-rebounded its opponent, blasting the Wildcats on the boards 45-27.  Up next, the Gators will come back home and host the Georgia Bulldogs. Tipoff is set for 1 pm on Sunday.

Notable Players

Gators

Freshman guard Lavender Briggs led the Gators with 18 points and 13 rebounds. But at halftime, she left the court 0 for 7 from the field.  The Utah native came back big in the second half, scoring all of her points to help lift the Gators to victory.

This is Briggs’ sixth double-double, a team best. This also marks the 19th time Briggs has scored in the double figures and she accomplished this over the span of 21 games.

Red shirt senior forward Zada Williams joined Briggs with a double-double. She registered 12 points and 12 rebounds. She also made the first six points for Florida which got them the 6-2 lead early in the game.

Freshmen Nina Rickards and Brylee Bartram were also key for this victory. Rickards scored 12, making it her third time in the last four games in which she scored 10 or more. For the third time in her collegiate career, Bartram got a career-high nine points with three 3-point buckets made.

Red shirt junior guard Kiki Smith was limited to only 14 minutes in this game, despite leading the SEC in minutes played. Smith was having foul problems that sent her to the bench.

Kentucky’s star player Rhyne Howard was out due to a finger fracture she suffered in their game against the Auburn Tigers. With Howard out, the Wildcats needed to step up.

One of the players that shined for Kentucky was Chasity Patterson. She fought hard in this game scoring 25 points, leading all scorers. She was followed by Jaida Roper who pitched in 15 points of her own.

Red shirt senior guard Sabrina Haynes and junior forward Tatyana Wyatt were also key players for Kentucky fight but foul problems also sent them to the bench. Haynes had to check out a few times as she was walking on thin ice with four fouls while Wyatt eventually fouled out of the game late in the fourth quarter.