Tame Them Dawgs!!!! Florida Beats Georgia in SEC Win

Florida pounds Georgia behind the duo of Correa and Matharu to get the SEC win at home.

By Loren Meadows, GatorBaitMedia.com

The Florida Gators welcomed the Georgia Bulldogs to the O’Connell Center looking to take a bite out of their rival and get into the SEC win column after two close losses on the road. The Gators would get outstanding performances from the duo of Aliyah Matharu and Leilani Correa who combined for 51 points and six three pointers as the Gators defeated Georgia 78-69 Sunday afternoon. Correa and Matharu were motivated by a short pregame conversation with coach Kelly Rae Finley that set the tone for Sunday’s performance. “I grabbed them right before the game and I told them tonight is gonna be the night that you two excel together on the court”, Finley stated. “These two (Matharu and Correa) are explosive and dynamic when they are both hitting on the same night and that exactly what happened tonight”. 

Correa was extremely aggressive at the start of the game scoring five or her season-high 30 points in the first quarter then exploding for 13 in the second quarter aided by 3 of 4 shooting from three. Matharu would follow suit in the second half scoring 17 of her 20 points. Matahru, who moved to point guard for the Gators this season has really focused on distributing the ball to her teammates and scoring more efficiently. “I’m trying to stay consistent, watching film, learning my teammates, and myself as well.” Matharu would dish out four assists on the night including two long over the top passes to Correa for easy lay ups. “I really have been focusing on distributing the ball a little bit better, finding people, and get Leilani open.”

Florida guard Aliyah Matharu (UAA photo)

Along with the play of Matharu and Correa, Coach Finley also noted the role that forward Faith Dut played in the Gators neutralizing Georgia’s Javyn Nicholson and assuming more responsibility in the post with the absence of center Ra’Shaya Kyle. “Faith is so dynamic, she has a great basketball IQ, and for her size allows us to play a very fast game.” Dut harassed Nicholson into 50 percent shooting on the afternoon while limiting her to one offensive rebound. Nicholson would eventually foul out of the game in the fourth quarter. She would add nine points, four rebounds and two block including three clutch free throws late in the game as Georgia made a late push to get back in the game.

Finally, Coach Finley made it clear that the Gators leaned on the energy that the Gator nation brought to the O’Connell Center this evening. "I don't know if that game goes our way if Gator Nation didn't show up the way they did today. We play a really fun style of basketball and I was really happy that our team was able to celebrate and showcase how we play. The crowd was absolutely outstanding in giving us that energy, they had the "Go Gators" chant near the end, which just empowers you– it makes you remember that there's a lot of people cheering for us, that believe in us, and can celebrate us." 

#kellyskicks (UAA photo)