The University of Mississippi Athletics
Rebels Fall To Florida 67-64
2/1/2010 | Women's Basketball
OXFORD, Miss. - Steffi Sorensen scored 18 points and hit six three-pointers to lift Florida to a 67-64 win over Ole Miss Sunday afternoon from Tad Smith Coliseum.
Florida (12-9, 5-3) finished 11-for-21 from three-point range and shot 52.4 percent. The Gators were also a perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line.
Sharielle Smith and Lonnika Thompson each scored 11 points for Florida, while Azania Stewart added 10 points.
Kayla Melson scored a career-high 20 points and had five rebounds to lead a trio of Rebels in double figures. Bianca Thomas scored a game-high 21 points and hit five three-pointers to move into second place all-time at Ole Miss with 196 career treys.
Elizabeth Robertson tallied 12 points and finished with four three-pointers.
After trailing 37-27 at halftime, Ole Miss (14-7, 5-3 SEC) used a 13-4 run over the first three minutes of the second half to trim the Gator lead to just one point at 41-40. Robetson hit two three-pointers and Thomas added one of her own during the run.
Florida answered with a pair of free throws from Jennifer George and a three-pointer from Sorensen to up its lead to six points. The Rebels responded with an 8-2 run to even the score at 48-48 at the midway point of the half. Melson hit a steaking Katorra Lewis, who had beaten the defense down the floor, for an uncontested layup.
Minutes later, Ole Miss took its first lead since the 11:36 mark of the first half when Melson hit a pair of free throws to put the Rebels ahead 52-50 with just over eight minutes to play. The two teams traded baskets on the next three possessions before Sorensen hit another three-pointer to put the Gators ahead 57-54 with 6:54 left to play.
Thomas answered with a jumper on the wing to pull Ole Miss within one point, but Ndidi Madu hit two free throws on the ensuing Florida possession to push the lead back to three points.
Black pulled Ole Miss to within one point with a layup following a turnover from Thompson before Thomas hit a three-pointer to put the Rebels ahead by two points with just under four minutes remaining.
Sorenesen struck again for the Gators and hit another three-pointer in the corner to give Florida a 62-61 lead. Melson nearly put Ole Miss back ahead on the next trip down the floor, but her layup attempt rolled around the rim and fell wide of the basket.
Florida capitalized on the following possession and Smith hit a three-pointer in the corner to put the Gators ahead 65-61 with 1:21 on the clock. Thomas hit her fifth three-pointer of the game for Ole Miss to cut the Florida lead to 65-64 with one minute to play.
Stewart hit two free throws for the Gators to increase their lead to 67-64, and Black's three-pointer with five seconds to play hit long and off the rim.
Ole Miss returns to action Thursday at 6 p.m. when the Rebels travel to Lexington, Ky., to take on the Kentucky Wildcats from Memorial Coliseum.
