ORLANDO - Tishona Gregory scored 14 points and Vanessa Hayden added 12 points and eight rebounds to lead Florida to a 86-50 win over Bethune-Cookman in the UCF Holiday Classic on Friday.
The Gators (7-2) led by as many as 37 in the second half on their way to their fifth victory in six games. Coach Carolyn Peck, able to empty her bench late, used all 14 players.
"We entered this game with the understanding that we were going to play a lot of people because of our current stretch of playing three games in four days, so it was important for us to establish a tone and that every player off the bench maintain that tone," Peck said. "We were able to do that. We didn't want anyone to play more than 20 minutes."
Florida had a 44-25 rebounding edge over the much smaller Wildcats (1-5), who shot 30.5 percent from the floor and lost their second straight.
Down by 20 at the half, Bethune-Cookman's hopes ended when leading scorer Latonya Reed was assessed her fourth foul 10 seconds into the second half. Forced to sit, Reed was held to seven points, all in the first half.
ALABAMA 63, UCF 41: Katie Sipe scored 14 to lead the Crimson Tide into today's final vs. the Gators. Alabama took an early 13-3 lead and kept UCF without a field goal in the opening six minutes.
CHRISTIAN BROTHERS 64, TAMPA 49: Host Tampa was led by Jamie Skinner's 14 points and eight rebounds. Key to the visitors' victory was the press, which created 20 steals and led to 32 turnovers.
Top 25
NO. 4 TEXAS TECH 74, WASHINGTON 70: Erin Grant made an 8-footer in the lane with :11 to play, and Chesley Dabbs added two free throws with 1.5 seconds remaining. Casey Jackson had 10 points and 16 rebounds, and Cisti Greenwalt added 15 points and 11 boards. Texas Tech (10-0) closed on an eight-point run to snap Washington's 18-game home winning streak.
NO. 8 PURDUE 65, NO. 20 UC SANTA BARBARA 61: Shereka Wright had 23 points to pace the host Boilermakers. Wright had five crucial points late as Purdue overcame a 58-57 deficit with just more than two minutes to play.
NO. 24 MICHIGAN ST. 47, UCLA 43: Liz Shimek had 14 points and 11 rebounds for visitors.
