Gator Backcourt Club

The Official Booster Club of the University of Florida Women's Basketball Team

Gators Grab Big Time Victory in Thursday Night Thriller

The Gators defeated Arkansas 85-81 Thursday night in an exhilarating battle at the O’Dome. The win was an all-around team effort with four players in double figures scoring, and Jeriah Warren securing her first double-double of the 2023-24 season.

Leilani Correa scored a team-high 20 points, followed by Aliyah Matharu with 17. 

The Gators led for the majority of the first half before the Razorbacks took their first lead of the game with a 3-point jumper from Makayla Daniels (29-27) midway into the second quarter. Florida responded immediately with a layup from Matharu for a 29-all tie. The back-and-forth battle between the Gators and the Razorbacks never slowed down.

Florida went on a 7-0 run to jump in front 41-36 with less than three minutes in the half. The Razorbacks responded with eight unanswered points, tying the game at 46-all with less than 20 seconds remaining before halftime. The first half closed with a fast-break score from Saylor Poffenbarger, giving the Razorbacks a two-point lead and closing the half at 48-46.

After trailing by two points at the start of the second half, Warren secured a 3-pointer in the initial 13 seconds of the third, giving the Gators a 49-48 lead. Florida and Arkansas then proceeded to see four lead changes in the top of the third quarter, but it was Arkansas who pulled ahead with a 10-point lead going into the fourth quarter (71-61).

Despite the initial fourth-quarter deficit, the Gators found momentum after Matharu snagged two steals within 15 seconds. The defensive plays led to consecutive fast break layups by Matharu giving the Gators a 79-76 lead with less than five minutes to play. Florida held onto the lead and secured an additional 24 points in the fourth quarter to solidify the home victory.

IN THE FIRST:

  • The Gators forced three turnovers on Arkansas in the first five minutes of play
  • Aliyah Matharu recorded her sixth block of the season (3:51)
  • The Gators were 100 percent from the free throw line (4-of-4)
  • Correa led the Gators in scoring with seven points and was shooting 100 percent from the field
  • Florida recorded 14 rebounds in the first quarter to out-rebound Arkansas by four
  • Zippy Broughton distributed two of the Gators four assists to lead Florida in the first
  • The Gators ended the quarter with 12 points in the paint, four points off turnovers, and six second chance points
  • The Razorbacks secured their game low for points in the paint with two 

IN THE SECOND:

  • Arkansas took their first lead of the game at 5:34 on the clock (29-27) 
  • Aliyah Matharu led in scoring with nine points
  • The Gators had 12 bench points and 12 points in the paint 
  • Florida secured an additional four turnovers on the Razorbacks
  • The Gators increased their field goal percentage to 60 in the second going 9-of-15
  • Florida recorded 24 points in the second giving them a first half total of 46
  • At the end of the first half Florida had 24 points in the paint and 25 bench points  

IN THE THIRD:

  • Jeriah Warren secured a three-point jumper in the first 13 seconds of the half to set the tone for her dominate third quarter performance:
    • Warren led the Gators in scoring with five of the teams 15 points
    • Warren also led on the boards snagging six of Florida’s nine rebounds
  • The Gators outrebounded the Razorbacks by one (9-to-8) 
  • The Gators forced an additional four turnovers on Arkansas 
  • Florida held Arkansas to only one steal in the third– the Razorback’s game low
  • Aliyah Matharu tallied another block to bring her game total to two
  • Zippy Broughton snagged the Gators only steal of the quarter 
  • Florida only held the lead for two minutes and 11 seconds in the third quarter and was down 71-61 going into the fourth and final period 

IN THE FOURTH:

  • After starting the quarter down by 10, Florida regained the lead with less than five minutes on the clock (4:23) off a fast break layup from Aliyah Matharu (77-76)
    • The Gators extended the lead by three off another steal and fast break layup from Matharu (79-76)
  • After back-to-back steals from Matharu the Gators never trailed again 
  • Leilani went 3-of-4 from the field in the first 4 minutes of play 
  • Florida was only ahead by one (82-81) with two minutes left to play 
  • Faith Dut had a game changing steal with 90 seconds left on the clock 
  • The Gators had another 24-point quarter to tie their game high 
  • Florida recorded 10 points in the paint and nine points off turnovers in the fourth
  • The Gators closed out the quarter shooting 100 percent from the free throw line

WORTH NOTING:

  • Zippy Broughton reached four new season highs with two three pointers, three assists, 13 points, and 28 minutes played
  • Jeriah Warren notched her first double-double of the season with 12 rebounds and 12 points
  • The Gators shot 100 percent from the free throw line in the first and fourth quarter
  • Eriny Kindred matched a season high of five rebounds
  • Florida recorded 43 points coming off the bench
    • Correa secured 20 of those points 
  • The Gators forced 17 Razorback turnovers, converting for 20 points 
  • Florida totaled 16 second chance points off 15 offensive rebounds 
  • Aliyah Matharu continued her season stretch of securing double digits in scoring for every time out with 17 points 
  • Leilani Correa hit her nineteenth game of the season for double figures in scoring
    • With 20 points she also secures her sixth 20+ point outing 
  • Jerian Warren led on the boards for her third time this season  
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KELLY RAE FINLEY SAID:
UF Head Coach Kelly Rae Finley on tonight’s win:
“I’ve always believed that we were a really good team, we`re not just talented but we have a really special group of women from all over the world and tonight was just a testament to good team basketball. Never was there a moment of doubt. We know what this looks like, sounds like, should feel like, and that’s what you saw on the court; players making plays and us willing ourselves to accomplish the mission.”

UF Head Coach Kelly Rae Finley on Aliyah’s performance tonight:
“I thought that was probably one of Aliyah’s best games tonight. When Aliyah pours into her teammates, she can move a whole group. Tonight, I felt like when I looked her in the eye, I knew she wasn’t going to let us lose.”

JERIAH WARREN SAID:
Junior guard Jeriah Warren on the Gator’s effort:
“We finished the game really well, came together and stayed together through adversity and that’s something that we have always focused on throughout the season.”

TEAM RECORDS:
Florida: 12-8 (3-5 SEC)
Arkansas: 17-8 (5-5 SEC)

SERIES RECORD:
The current series between Florida and Arkansas is in favor of the Gators at 31-13 with the Gators ahead by 18.

NEXT UP:
The Gators will travel to Starkville Sunday afternoon to face Mississippi State. The game is set to tip-off at 3 p.m. and will be available on SECN+.

Mississippi State will be coming off a Thursday evening win against Georgia, and currently holds a 7-3 SEC record. Overall the Bulldogs have two players averaging in double figures for scoring this season. They are led by Jerkaila Jordan with a combined 419 points, averaging 16.8 an outing. Following Jordan with a season average of 14.9 points per game is Jessika Carter.

Carter also leads the Bulldogs on the boards with 215 for the season and an average of 9.8 a game. Jerkaila Jordan sits behind her averaging 6.4 per contest. 

MISSISSIPPI STATE (20-5, 7-3):