BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Gators backed up
their pre-game talk of not being intimidated by No. 1-ranked Baylor and 6-foot-8
All-American center Brittney Griner.
They hit the floor for loose balls, played their usual
in-your-face defense, and battled Griner inside throughout the game.
But there’s a reason the Bears haven’t lost all season.
They are good. Really good.
Baylor showed why it’s the favorite to win the national
championship on Tuesday night, knocking off the Gators 76-57 in the second
round of the NCAA Tournament. The Bears advance to face the Georgia Tech on
Saturday in the Des Moines Region semifinal.
While Griner is the centerpiece, the Bears have plenty of
weapons around her and tossed them all at the Gators at the Stroh Center on the
campus of Bowling Green State University on Tuesday.
Griner led the Bears with 25 points (17 in the second
half) and nine rebounds. She also blocked six shots to lead Baylor to its 36th
consecutive win this season.
The loss ended Florida’s season at 20-13 as Baylor
advanced to the Sweet 16 for the fifth time in seven years. The Gators were
attempting to earn a Sweet 16 berth for the first time in 14 years but Baylor
wasn’t going to let that happen.
All five Bears starters scored in double figures and
power forward Destiny Williams added a game-high 13 rebounds to go with her 11
points.
The Gators were led by Azania Stewart’s 14 points in the
final game of her career. Senior guards Deanna Allen added 13 points and Lanita
Bartley, 10 points.
Florida’s defense kept Griner quiet for most of the first
half. She didn’t score her first points until a layup with 8:18 remaining in
the first half. However, by that time Baylor had built a 21-11 cushion thanks
to its versatile lineup.
Baylor led 35-26 at halftime after leading by as many as
15 points (26-11) in the first half. The score was 18-11 after a jumper by
Ndidi Madu but Baylor went on an 8-0 run thanks to a pair of 3-pointers by
Kimetria Hayden and a bucket from Griner.
With the Bears threatening to pull away, Florida answered
with a 9-0 run that was ignited by a 3-pointer from Andrea Vilaro Aragones.
Vilaro Aragones hit another 3-pointer moments later followed by a jumper from
Jaterra Bonds and a Lanita Bartley free throw to trim Baylor’s lead to 26-20.
The lead grew back to nine by halftime and Baylor
maintained a double-digit lead for most of the second half.
