The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Florida
UAB Falls to Florida, 75-39
11/24/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 24, 2009
GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Senior forward Tamika Dukes scored in double figures for the third game in a row, but it was not enough as the Florida Gators topped UAB, 75-39, on Tuesday evening at the O'Connell Center. Dukes led the Blazers (1-3) with 12 points and six rebounds, including a 4-for-5 performance from the stripe.
"We just needed to do a better job defensively," UAB head coach Audra Smith said. "Florida is a solid team with some great shooters. They came right out of the gate and executed well."
Florida (2-2) opened the game with 12-4 run, hitting four consecutive three-pointers within the first five minutes to jump out to the early lead.
"They were patient beyond the arc," Smith said. "This is what we talked about during warm-ups and in scouting reports - [shooting the three] is what they do well."
UAB battled back though, spreading the ball around to pull within three points at the 11:53 mark. After freshman guard Amber Jones and sophomore forward Shelly Breaux hit a pair of baskets, Jones stole the ball and pushed it ahead to Dukes to make it 13-10. Jones finished the contest with two points and four steals, while Breaux had eight points.
Florida responded with an 11-1 run to widen its lead to 24-11 with 8:29 left in the first half. The Gators continued to dominate until the break, taking a 40-18 lead into the locker room thanks in part to UF senior guard Steffi Sorensen's 12 first-half points.
The Blazers clamped down in the second half, allowing just one three-pointer in the period. UAB also edged the Gators in steals, with an 11-6 advantage in the second, 16-11 overall. Although the Green and Gold cut Florida's lead to 20 early in the second half, the Gators would go on to lead by as many as 39 in the contest.
The Blazers return home this weekend to host the UAB Thanksgiving Classic on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 27-28 at Bartow Arena. UAB will take on Norfolk State at 6 p.m. on Friday, preceded by a matchup between Samford and North Texas at 4 p.m. The Blazers round out the weekend against North Texas on Saturday at 3 p.m. after Samford plays North Texas at 1 p.m.
