RALEIGH, N.C. – The Wofford women's basketball team played tough against the University of Florida, but the Gators were too much for the Terriers, securing a 61-47 victory in the final game of the Preseason WNIT Classic at Reynolds Coliseum.
 
Wofford played a close first half, trailing by only 10 at halftime, but a four-point third quarter provided just too much of a hole to climb out of. The Terriers shot 33.9% but only 6.7% from three, while the Gators converted 42.6% of their shots and 15.0% from behind the arc. Wofford committed 20 turnovers in the contest, which Florida took full advantage of, securing 23 points off turnovers and eight fast break points to Wofford's 11 and zero in those categories, respectively.
 
The Terriers were led in scoring by the two freshmen; Reagan Rapert and Sydnee Richetto. Both posted 10 points to reach double-digits for the first time in their careers. Alexis Tomlin led in rebounds, securing eight and adding eight points as well. Helen Matthews contributed six points and three boards on her birthday. Tomlin and Lawren Cook tied for the lead in assists, with Cook also adding three rebounds.
 
"I'm really happy for [Sydnee] coming in and playing 10 minutes and getting 10 points. That was really good. Two freshmen led us in scoring," said head coach Jimmy Garrity. "Florida is just big, strong, fast and they're really physical. That pressure, it bothered us. It's not easy going up against that for 40-straight minutes. But overall, for this weekend, I think it's going to help prepare us for the year and conference play. And that's really why we wanted to do this – to play tough games, but also it's a great experience to be one of eight programs selected to play in the Preseason WNIT. That means a lot for the school, for those players that came before us. From that standpoint, we worked really hard to get this program to where it is. I wish we would've made more shots this weekend, but we played really hard, and I'm really proud of that."
 
The game opened with Niyah Lutz drawing a shooting foul and putting home a free throw to put the Terriers on the board first. The Gators responded with six-straight points of their own to pull ahead. Helen Matthews then took charge to sandwich a Gator three with a layup and jumper to pull the Terriers within four. Florida added six more points, but Wofford went on a four-point streak of its own thanks to a Lilly Hatton layup and Annabelle Schultz knocking down a pair of free throws. Florida would hit a triple in the final minute to extend its lead to 18-9.
 
Reagan Rapert swished a jumper to start the second frame, but the Gators knocked down two of their own in response. Helen Matthews added a layup to keep Wofford in range, but Florida popped a jumper and a three-pointer to stay out front. Jackie Carman then splashed Wofford's first triple of the contest, sparking a six-point run for the Terriers. After a Florida basket, Rapert again swished a jumper, and Alexis Tomlin put home a layup to pull Wofford within six. Florida would convert four three throws in the last minute to stay out in front by 10 points, 33-23, at the break.
 
Florida utilized the third quarter to create separation as Wofford stumbled out of halftime. The Gators secured six consecutive points to begin the half before Alexis Tomlin put home a jumper. Florida secured a pair of free throws before Abbey Crawford added a layup for Wofford to end the frame. The Terriers only posted four points in the third quarter, but steadfast defense held Florida to 10, keeping hope alive for Wofford.
 
Sydnee Richetto opened the scoring in the final frame by burying a jumper for the first points of her career. Florida got a bucket, then Lilly Hatton added a jumper, and Reagan Rapert made a couple of free throws. The Gators then went on a six-point run to create some more separation, but Richetto added back-to-back shots for the Terriers. Alexis Tomlin added a free throw and a layup, but Florida would not slow down. They added three points before Rapert secured a jumper, which was followed by three more Gator points. Sydnee Richetto scored the final two buckets of the contest, but the deficit was too much for Wofford to overcome, falling 61-47.
 
The Terriers return home for their first of three-straight games at Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium on Friday, Nov. 19. Tipoff against Southern Wesleyan University is set for 5:00 pm.