Florida
missed 14 free throws and Arkansas staged an improbable comeback as the Gators
dropped a tough 73-72 double-overtime decision at Bud Walton Arena on Sunday
afternoon.
Arkansas
(16-5, 5-4 SEC), which entered Sunday’s contest having won its last four Southeastern
Conference games by an average of 19 points per outing, rallied from an
11-point deficit with 4:25 remaining, as well as eight points down in the final
2:02 of regulation to force overtime, where the Gators (13-8, 3-5 SEC) missed
3-of-6 free throws in both extra frames, after converting only 5-of-13 during
regulation.
Seven
of Florida’s eight SEC games this season have been decided by six points or
less.
The
Gators missed two free throws in the final 2:02 of regulation, as well as six
more in overtime period and wasn’t able to connect on a field goal attempt in
the last 8:05 of the overtime periods, hitting just 2-of-9 attempts.
“It’s
a colossal disappointment,” UF coach Amanda Butler said. “To play so
well for so long, turn the ball over in some crucial moments and then not step
up and hit free throws when we could have seemingly won comfortably. Arkansas
is a great team. They were on a mission and did a great job.
“Free
throw shooting is very contagious, makes or misses,” Butler continued. “You
just have to be mentally tough to be able to step up and hit them in key
moments, but really in the whole ball game.”
