Feb. 18, 2018
Box Score (PDF)
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Rachel Bell and Chelsie Hall combined for 38 points but the Vanderbilt women’s basketball team (6-22, 2-12 SEC) struggled to get anyone else going, falling to Florida (11-16, 3-11) 88-71 on the road Sunday afternoon.
The Skinny
Date: Feb. 18, 2018
Time: 12:00 PM CT/1:00 PM ET
Place: Gainesville, Fla. (Exactech Arena)
At the Top of the Charts
Points: Rachel Bell – 22 points
Rebounds: Autumn Newby – 7 rebounds
Assists: Two with three
Steals: Two with two
How It Happened
First Quarter: Florida 21, Vanderbilt 14
Florida opened up a 6-2 lead but a Rachel Bell triple stopped the run, although Florida answered on the other end with a triple to keep the lead. Florida found the bottom of the net on its next two shots and increased its shooting percentage to 78 percent early which forced White to call a timeout at the 6:03 mark to help the Commodores regroup down 11-7. Florida had the hot hand in the first quarter shooting 66.7 percent but Rachel Bell was a bright spot for the Commodores scoring nine of Vanderbilt’s first-quarter points.
Second Quarter: Florida 43, Vanderbilt 30
Florida native Chelsie Hall opened the quarter with an old-fashioned three-point play but the Gators Haley Lorenzen scored the next three baskets to open up a 27-17 lead with two minutes off the clock. With the Commodores trailing 34-20, Christa Reed nailed a triple – her third straight game with a triple – to stop a 13-0 Florida run heading into the media timeout but the home team took the double-digit lead into halftime. Rebounding was a concern in the first half, as the Gators held Vanderbilt off the glass for a 24-9 advantage and a 10-0 advantage in second chance opportunities.
Third Quarter: Florida 72, Vanderbilt 50
Rachel Bell and Chelsie Hall continued to lead the Commodores in scoring, combining for 12 of Vanderbilt’s 20 third-quarter points. Vanderbilt made an emphasis on the glass in the third quarter but failed to get any defensive stops. A 10-0 Florida run pushed the lead to 57-38, forcing White to call her second timeout of the game at the 5:38 mark but the Gators maintained a double-digit lead throughout.
Fourth Quarter: Florida 88, Vanderbilt 71
Rachel Bell picked off a Florida pass to open the quarter but Vanderbilt couldn’t get much of anything else going until late in the quarter when the game was all but out of reach. The Vanderbilt bench was a bright spot scoring 40 points, including a season-high eight points from LeaLea Carter. Kaleigh Clemons-Green dialed up four points late in the game but the Commodores couldn’t overcome the Gators, who shot 50.8 percent from the floor in the contest with 12 three-pointers.
Inside the Lane
-Sunday’s game was a homecoming of sorts for point guard Chelsie Hall, who hails from Boca Raton, Fla. Hall had numerous family and friends in attendance at the game. It was also a homecoming of sorts for Vanderbilt associate head coach Carolyn Peck, who served as head coach at Florida from 2002-07.
-Rachel Bell recorded her fourth 20-point game this season and her ninth career 20-point game with 22 points.
-Chelsie Hall reached double figures for the 18th time this season and the first time in three games with 16 points.
Up Next
Vanderbilt will stay on the road and head to Columbia, Mo., to take on No. 13 Missouri on Thursday. Tipoff is set for 7 PM CT from Mizzou Arena.
Upcoming Games
Feb. 22 – at Missouri, 7 pm
Feb. 25 – vs. Arkansas, 2 pm
Feb. 28-March 4 – SEC Tournament (Nashville, Tenn.)
All game times CENTRAL
Keep Up with the Commodores
For more information on the Vanderbilt women’s basketball team check them out on the website at www.vucommodores.com , Twitter at @VandyWBB., Instagram at @VandyWBB and on Facebook at Vandy Hoops.
