12/05/05– FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BEHIND BRITTANY DAVIS' GAME-HIGH 20 POINTS, THE LADY JAGS FALL 74-57 TO FLORIDA

CONTACT: Kevin Beasley

Box Score

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Behind Florida's Brittany Davis' game-high 20 points, the Lady Gators defeated the South Alabama women's basketball team 74-57 at the O'Connell Center Monday night.

"Overall I was pleased with our defensive effort in the first half," said South Alabama women's basketball head coach Rick Pietri. "Offensively we played like we were scared to death in the first half and that disappointed me. In the second half we relaxed a little bit offensively and got into a little bit of a rhythm but we didn't play well defensively. We just have to put both phases of our game together at the same time. Tonight we played one phase each half."

With the game tied a 7-7 at the first media time out, Florida (6-1) used reeled off eight straight points to grab a 15-7 lead at the 11:47 mark. After a Patrice Brunner jumper with 11 minutes, six seconds to play in the opening stanza, the Lady Gators closed the half by outscoring the Lady Jags (3-3, 0-0 SBC) 14-8 over the remainder of the half. Florida came out on fire in the first period, shooting 42 percent (10-of-24), while the Jags were cold offensively, only connecting on six of their 31 attempts from the floor for 19 percent. USA was also 1-of-12 from the three point line in the first half.

The Gators came out of the intermission and pushed the deficit out to 18 (35-17) on a Danielle Santos basket with just over 18 minutes remaining to play. The Jags cut the margin back down to 15 two minutes later when JoAnna Willams knocked down a trey. Florida however pushed the margin back out to 21 on a Kim Dye three-pointer with 10 minutes, 11 seconds to play. USA kept battling though and eventually chipped the lead down to 15 (64-49) on a Whitney Woodard trey at the 3:20 mark, but that was as close as the Jag rally attempt would get.

For the game, the Gators shot 54 percent (27-of-50) for the game and 65 percent in the second half. USA was better offensively in the second period shooting 52 percent and finished 20-of-58 from the floor for the game to finish at 35 percent.

South Alabama was paced by Williams' 14 points and Raena Ellis' 11. Florida's Davis recorded 12 of her 20 points in the opening period of play to lead the Gators. Danielle Scott (12) and Marshee Dotson (10) also recorded double figures.

The Lady Jags will return to action Dec. 14 when they take on North Florida in the Mitchell Center at 7 p.m.