GAINESVILLE, Fla. --- The Chattanooga women's basketball team dropped its first road contest of the season, falling 94–52 to the Florida Gators on Thursday evening at Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center.
The Mocs (1–1) came out firing in the opening quarter, shooting 53.3% from the field and 57.1% from beyond the arc to take a 24–19 lead. Sophomore
Gianna Corbitt led the charge with 12 of her game-high 21 points in the first 10 minutes, helping UTC build a six-point advantage --- it's largest of the night.
However, the Gators (2-0) responded with a dominant second quarter, outscoring the Mocs 28-4 and using the press to take a 47-28 lead into halftime. Florida's defensive pressure forced nine Chattanooga turnovers in the period and held the Mocs to just one made field goal.
Despite a more competitive third quarter, the Mocs were unable to close the gap as Florida continued to build on its lead. The Gators outscored Chattanooga 21-15 in the third, with Corbitt adding seven points, and 26-9 in the final frame to seal the win.
Corbitt paced Chattanooga with 21 points, including two three-pointers and a 7-for-8 performance from the free-throw line.
Sarah Owona added 10 points, all in the first half, going 3-for-4 from beyond the arc.
Caia Elisaldez contributed nine points and a team-high five assists.
Florida was led by Liv McGill, who poured in a game-high 38 points on 13-of-26 shooting, including six three-pointers. She also added 10 assists and eight rebounds in a standout performance. Me'Arah O'Neal posted a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds, while Alexia Dizeko chipped in 11 points.
The Mocs shot 33.3% from the field and committed 25 turnovers, which Florida converted into 35 points. The Gators dominated the glass with a 46-26 rebounding advantage and scored 44 points in the paint.
Top Performers
- Gianna Corbitt led the Mocs with 21 points, shooting 6-of-11 from the field and 7-of-8 from the free-throw line. She also added four rebounds and three steals.
- Sarah Owona provided a spark off the bench, scoring 10 points on 3-of-5 shooting, including 3-of-4 from three-point range.
- Caia Elisaldez contributed nine points and a team-high five assists in 34 minutes of action.
Chattanooga remains on the road for a Sunday match at Lipscomb. The game is slated to tip at 3:00 p.m. Eastern time at Allen Arena.
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