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Gators gain win over OSU in NCAA Tournament

Mar 18, 2012 - 8:50 PM Bowling Green, OH (Sports Network) - Jennifer George scored 16 points and pulled down six rebounds as Florida defeated Ohio State, 70-65, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at the Stroh Center.

The ninth seed in the Des Moines Region, the Gators (20-12) also saw Lanita Bartley and Jaterra Bonds score 15 and 11 points, respectively, in the triumph.

The eighth-seeded Buckeyes were paced by Tayler Smith who scored a game-high 23 points, followed by Amber Stokes with 12 in the losing cause. Working hard in the paint was Ashley Adams who not only registered a double-double with 11 points and a game-high 14 rebounds, she also logged a game-high seven blocked shots as well.

Florida scored the first points of the afternoon and never looked back, the Gators getting away with just 35.7 percent shooting from the floor in the first half because they made good on 7-of-16 behind the three-point line, en route to a 39-31 edge at the break.

In the second half Florida again shot the ball poorly from the field (.344) but had given itself enough of a cushion in order to hold on for the five- point victory.

The Gators, who will now face off against the undefeated and top-ranked Baylor Bears, won the battle of the boards, 46-35, limiting OSU to just six rebounds at the offensive end of the floor while they collected 20 which were traded in for 16 second-chance points.