NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Florida Women’s Basketball Team held No. 5/6 Vanderbilt (21-2, 7-2) to just 25 points in the first half as they built a nine-point lead at the break. But the Commodores found another gear on offense after the intermission, outscoring the Gators (13-11, 1-8) 32-12 in the third quarter en route to an 82-66 victory.

KEY RUNS

1st Quarter (Gators 19, Commodores 10)

• Florida scored the first six points of the game, scoring on three of their first four possessions of the game, eventually extending its lead to as many as nine. The Gators made seven of 15 shots in the first, while Vandy connected on four of 18. Florida outrebounded the ‘Dores, 15-8. The Gators’ Me’Arah O’Neal and Vanderbilt’s Justine Pissott each scored eight points to lead all scorers. Florida held Mikayla Blakes, the nation’s second leading scorer to two points in the period.

2nd Quarter (Gators 34, Commodores 25)

• Daviane Mindoudi drilled a jumper to open the second, and Florida eventually pushed its lead out to 15, 25-10, with 7:49 on the clock. Vanderbilt countered by going on a 15-2 run over the next five-plus minutes to make it a two-point game, 27-25. Liv McGill ended the run with a steal and a fast break layup, to push Florida’s cushion back out to four. She followed that up with a fast break free throw line jumper, while KN’isha Godfrey concluded the scoring with a three pointer on the final possession of the half. The Gators made seven of 12 shots in the second, but committed eight turnovers in the period which the Commodores flipped into 10 points. Vanderbilt’s 25 points are tied for their second-lowest scoring first half of the season (19 vs. LSU on Jan. 4).

3rd Quarter (Commodores 57, Gators 46)

• Me’Arah O’Neal’s layup on Florida’s first possession of the third put the Gators back up by double figures, but the ‘Dores went on an 15-3 run to retake the lead, 40-39. The teams traded the lead on the next four possessions, but Vanderbilt then rattled off 11 straight points to lead by 10, 54-44. The Commodores made 11 of 13 shots in the quarter, while Florida went four for 10. The Gators also committed seven turnovers in the period. Mikayla Blakes scored 14 of her game-high 30 points in the third.

4th Quarter (Commodores 82, Gators 66)

• Florida cut Vanderbilt’s advantage to 10 early in the fourth, and it was still a 13-point game with 4:48 remaining, but the Commodores went on a 12-3 run to effectively end the game.

KEY STATS

• The Commodores made 50.8 % of their field goal attempts (30 of 59), while the Gators made 49.1% of theirs (26 of 53).
• Florida went 6 for 11 from the free throw line while Vanderbilt made 11 of 13.
• The Commodores forced 23 Florida turnovers and flipped them into 33 points, while the Gators turned 16 Vandy miscues into 20 points.
• Florida made 8 of 20 (.400) from three-point range, while the Commodores went 11 for 31 (.355).
• The ‘Dores outscored Florida 32-25 in the paint.
• The Gators outscored Vanderbilt 12-5 in second chance points.
• Vandy’s bench outscored Florida’s 15-4.

GATOR BITES

• The Gators are now 29-37 all-time against Vanderbilt.
• Vanderbilt’s 25 points in the first are tied for their second-lowest scoring first half of the season (19 vs. LSU on Jan. 4).
• Liv McGill scored in double figures for the 24th straight game (21 points).
• Liv McGill’s 21 points in the game give her 1,106 for her career, moving her past Jana Bragg ’88 (1,098) in 24th place on the Gators’ career scoring chart. Next up is Bernice Mosby ’05 with 1,124 points.
• Me’Arah O’Neal scored in double figures for the 17th time this season (22 points).

NEXT OPPONENT
           The Gators return home for a pair of games next week, beginning with a Thursday, Feb. 5 meeting against Auburn. Tip at Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center Is at 7 p.m. EST.

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