Gators slip by Wofford, advance in WNIT

GAINESVILLE — The Florida women’s basketball team made the most of its second chance to keep its season alive.

More than two weeks after 15-point loss to Kentucky marred by a scuffle between the squads, the Gators slipped by Wofford 66-63 during the opening round of the WNIT Thursday at the O’Connell Center.

A night after the Florida men’s team no-showed during an 18-point loss to UCF during the NIT’s first round, coach Kelly Rae Finley’s squad embraced the opportunity. The Gators (17-14) will visit Wake Forest at 6 p.m. Monday during the tournament’s second round.

“We’ve talked a lot about just because something didn’t happen the way you want it doesn’t mean that you quit,” Finley said. “Just because we didn’t make the NCAA Tournament, that was our hope, we worked hard for that every day and fell short. A lot of teams would like the opportunity to be playing, competing together.

“We’re growing every single day.”

Florida head coach Kelly Rae Finley's Gators missed out on the NCAA Tournament, but turned its focus on making a run during the WNIT. (Alan Youngblood / AP)

The Gators took a step back in 2022-23 after reaching the NCAA Tournament while Finley served as interim head coach after Cam Newbauer resigned in July 2021 amid allegations of verbal abuse of players.

UF’s loss to Kentucky was the low point of a disappointing year. A 72-57 loss featured eight ejections and and lead Finley to apologize after sophomore forward Tatyana Wyche threw a basketball in anger following a Wildcats basket.

The Gators did not want to squander the chance to move forward during the WNIT and make the best of their season.

“It’s very important; we want to get a good feel for what it feels like to play in late March,” senior Nina Rickards said. “Even though it’s not the NCAA Tournament we’re still going to take this opportunity and try to win it all. It’s important for my younger teammates and me to get this experience.

“We’re going to take it and run with it. It should be fun.”

A wild sequence ending with a basket by veteran point guard KK Deans proved the difference Thursday in Gainesville. Deans just beat the shot clock with 56.2 seconds remaining to break a 60-60 tie with what proved to be the winning basket.

As time ran out and a scramble ensued, Deans snatched the ball from freshman teammate Myka Perry and quickly shot the ball. The basketball ended a scoring drought of more than 2 ½ minutes between the team during an otherwise back-and-forth affair.

“It’s not her first time making a play like that,” Rickards said.

Florida's KK Deans listens to head coach Kelly Rae Finley during the second half of the Gators' loss to Kentucky during the SEC Tournament March 1, 2023, in Greenville, S.C. (Mic Smith/AP)

Lelanai Correa iced the game from the foul line, hitting 4 straight free throws to hold off Wofford (22-10). Following Correa’s first two free throws, Jackie Carman hit a desperation 3 with 13 seconds to go, but the Terriers were forced to foul Correa again.

After a Wofford timeout, Annabelle Schultz’s 3-pointer hit the top of the backboard.

Correa, who has been nursing a leg injury much of the season, tied her season-high with 24 points.

Rickards finished with 18 points on 9 of 15 shooting to score her 1,000th-career point. Dean added 15, 5 assists but also 5 turnovers while Jeriah Warren added 8 rebounds and scored two key baskets early in the final quarter.

All four players had 3 steals apiece as UF scored 20 points off turnovers.

“Our defensive intensity set the tone for us,” Finley said.

Wofford jumped a 10-5 lead, but the Gators went on a 21-0 run with Correa, Rickards and Dean scoring every point. The Terriers stormed back behind star point guard Rachael Rose, who finished with 19 point, and aggressive rebounding to trail 30-29 at halftime.

Wofford ended the game with 16 off 20 offensive rebounds. The Terriers built a 45-37 lead on a put-back by Abbey Crawford, but the Gators responded with a 12-3 run to close the third quarter, capped by Rickards’ jumper.

Neither team could pull away during the final 10 minutes.

“We fought through adversity,” she said. “That was a very good Wofford team,”

This article first appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Email Edgar Thompson at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter at @osgators.