#19/23 Florida Uses Late Surge to Top Women's Basketball

Saturday, November 19

Ocala, Fla.

1:00 p.m.

Temple University

2-1

Florida

3-0

Temple

Florida

Photo by: Betsy Manning/Temple University

#19/23 Florida Uses Late Surge to Top Women's Basketball

11.19.16 | Women's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Box Score (PDF)

OCALA, Fla. -- #19/23 Florida used an 18-2 fourth quarter run to earn an 83-76 win over the Temple women's basketball team on Saturday afternoon. The Owls', who are receiving votes in both national polls, suffer their first loss of the 2016-17 season, moving to 2-1, while the Gators start the season, 3-0.

Temple led for three quarter of play, but the Owls went cold to start the fourth quarter. The Gators run saw them shoot 9-of-10 to start the fourth and a massive 78.9% (15-19) total in the fourth quarter to finish off the Owls.

Senior Feyonda Fitzgerald led five players in double-figures in scoring, recording 19 points, nine assists, and six rebounds. Junior Donnaizha Fountain ended her night with 15 points and seven boards, while classmate Tanaya Atkinson recorded a double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds, also adding four steals. Junior Khadijah Berger had 12 points, all coming in the first half, while junior Alliya Butts recorded 11 points in the loss.

Trailing 5-3 early, Temple quickly took over the lead in the first quarter. Berger hit twice from beyond-the-arc, while Butts added another as Temple built a 12-7 advantage. Florida countered with five-straight, but the Owls did not relinquish the lead. Temple closed the frame on an 8-4 run to make it 20-16 after 10 minutes.

Florida cut the lead to 23-20 early in the second quarter. Temple answered with a 7-1 run, including Berger's fourth three of the game, to make it 30-22 with 3:27 on the clock. The Owls were mostly silent from there, as Florida ended the frame with a 4-0 run to make it 30-26 Owls at the half.

Berger led all players with 12 first-half points, while Butts and Fitzgerald had six each for the Owls. Atkinson had six first-half boards to go along with three steals and three points.

Florida opened the third quarter on a 7-0 run to take a 33-30 lead. From there, Temple scored 10 of the next 11 points, including back-to-back threes from Butts and Fountain to make it 40-35 Owls with 5:03 left in the frame. The teams traded buckets for the next four minutes, before Florida connected on straight possessions to make it 52-49 with 1:21 on the clock. Temple then ended the quarter on baskets from Fountain and Butts, making it 56-49 after three.

Florida turned the tables quickly in the fourth quarter, opening the frame on an 18-2 run. The surge turned a seven-point Owls' advantage into a 67-58 Gators lead. Temple was 1-for-5 from the field during the stretch, while Florida connected on 9-of-10. Florida led by as many as 12 in the quarter, before Temple used a 6-2 edge to cut it to 79-74 with under a minute to play. The Gators were able to get a bucket with the shot clock expiring on its next possession, and Temple ran out of gas down the stretch.

Florida was led by 21 points from Eleanna Christinaki, while Haley Lorenzen added 19, and Ronni Williams scored 18.

Box Score (PDF)