UTC women’s basketball team adds Florida to list of big wins

UTC senior guard Aryanna Gilbert shoots over Florida's Jalaysha Thomas during the Gator Holiday Classic on Wednesday in Gainesville, Fla. Gilbert finished with 20 points and 12 rebounds for the first double-double of her college career as the Mocs beat the Gators 65-60. UTC senior guard Aryanna Gilbert shoots over Florida's Jalaysha Thomas during the Gator Holiday Classic on Wednesday in Gainesville, Fla. Gilbert finished with 20 points and 12 rebounds for the first double-double of her college career as the Mocs beat the Gators 65-60.

By Gene Henley December 21, 2017 3 min read

After Wednesday’s win over Florida, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga women’s basketball coach Jim Foster said the Mocs liked beating “private jet teams.”

The Gators were simply their latest victims.

Thanks to balanced scoring and a dominant defensive performance in the second half, the Mocs held off the Gators 65-60 in the first game of the Gator Holiday Classic in Gainesville, Fla. It was the Mocs’ eighth win in nine games and their fifth over a power conference opponent this season, with Indiana, Northwestern, Georgetown and Auburn the others.

UTC (8-4) will face Princeton (8-3) at 2:30 today in the second game of the event. The Tigers beat Saint Joseph’s 63-54 Wednesday in Gainesville.

Aryanna Gilbert, who led the Mocs with 20 points and 12 rebounds against Florida, was one of four UTC players who scored in double figures.