Box Score

PHILADELPHIA – La Salle trimmed a 19-point halftime deficit to just seven with a 17-4 burst out of the locker room, but Florida outscored the Explorers 35-17 the rest of the way as the Gators took a 74-50 decision at Tom Gola Arena on Sunday afternoon.
 
Shanel Harrison scored seven of her team-high 15 points in that run and contributed a team-high-tying six rebounds. Brittany Wilson added 14 points along with four rebounds, three steals and three assists. Karynda DuPree added a game-high three blocked shots to go with her six boards. Ebonee Jones also contributed six boards and eight points.
 
Florida's Jennifer George led all players with 19 points and 11 boards. Jaterra Bonds added 13 and Carlie Needles chipped in 12 to round out double-figure scorers for the Gators (8-3).

Down 35-16 at the half on cold shooting, the Explorers (1-9) exploded out of the halftime gate, scoring the first 12 points of the second frame and 17 of the first 21 points to get within six. The defense was spectacular in that run, forcing seven of the Gators' 17 turnovers in the first 7:29 of the half.

Jones started the run with a trey 10 seconds into the half. An out-of-bounds on Florida's attempted rebound of Jones' next shot gave the Explorers the ball under their basket and Harrison converted for two more points. Mosley added a jumper and Harrison hit two freebies at 17:34.

Neither squad scored for two minutes until Wilson nailed a triple at 15:34 to get within single digits and cap off the 12-0 run. Florida's Kayla Lewis snapped the Gators' scoreless streak with a jumper at 15:13 and added two free throws to push the visitors' lead back to 11.

Harrison then hit a three-pointer as the shot clock expired at 13:47 and Michea Bryant added two free throws a minute later to get within 39-33 with 12:31 on the clock.

That was the closest the Explorers would get, however, as the Gators clamped down defensively and went on an 11-0 run to regain the 19-point margin at 52-33 with 8:23 on the clock.

DuPree broke up the Gators' run with a short layup in the paint at 8:04 but it was too much to overcome as the visitors went up by as many as 27 late in the half.

The Explorers shot 28.8 percent for the game after hitting just 18.5 percent (5-of-27) in the opening frame. Florida went 48.4 percent for the game, including 7-of-16 from beyond the arc. The Gators also won the rebounding battle, 41-36.