ChompTalk.com

The Florida women’s basketball team won Saturday with arguably the team’s best performance of the young season, a 23-point home victory over the Cincinnati Bearcats.

The Gators, coming off a brutal late loss to rival Florida State and then an eight-point fourth quarter in a less than decisive victory over Charleston Southern, established themselves Saturday, outscoring the Bearcats in all four quarters on the way to an 81-58 win.

Florida was led by some usual suspects on offense. Lavender Briggs, Kiara Smith, and Danielle Rainey combined for 58 points (the same amount as the entire Cincinnati team), as well as 14 rebounds and six assists between the three of them. Briggs (22 points) and Smith (19 points) combined to go 16-30 from the court, and Rainey made three of five threes.

The fourth quarter was when head coach Cam Newbauer’s squad did the most damage. A 55-45 game entering the final frame, the Gators left Cincinnati in the dust, outscoring the Bearcats 26-13 in the last 10 minutes. Florida shot 10-16 from the floor, including four of six from three in the closing quarter, while the Cincinnati went only 5-14 from the field.

Cincinnati actually outrebounded the Gators 45 to 33, but committed 24 turnovers to Florida’s 10 and shot just 3-13 from deep, including missing all six attempts in the first half. Senior forward Iimar’i Thomas had 23 points, and redshirt senior Arame Niang had a double-double (12 points, 13 rebounds), but the rest of the team only had 23 points and 19 turnovers, including nine from guard Addaya Moore.

Smith, a redshirt senior and a Maryland native, had an extra reason to enjoy her good performance today with her parents in the crowd. As much as she appreciated having them in attendance, however, she said she tries to stay focused and not pay them much attention during the course of the game, something she has done all her life.

“Thanks for coming guys, but they already know the rules” Smith said with a laugh when asked about their presence.

The Gators take the court next against Florida Atlantic on Monday, the final of a three-game home stand.