Florida’s women’s basketball team had a much-needed rest after splitting a two-game road trip.
The nine-day hiatus allowed UF’s players to focus on their academics -- something coach Cam Newbauer has always stressed throughout his tenure -- with the fall semester coming to a close.
But the break did not affect Florida’s performance on Tuesday night, as the Gators defeated Mercer 71-50 at the O’Connell Center.
The Bears (3-8) ambushed the Gators (7-3) early with the full-court press.
Mercer’s suffocating defense forced three UF turnovers just 75 seconds into the game, which led to four points at the other end.