GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville University women's basketball team met the University of Florida in its season opener on Friday afternoon. The Dolphins entered the contest as an underdog; according to the critics they were undersized, undermanned and wouldn't be able to hold their own against the SEC Gators. Jacksonville proved all the critics wrong and kept it close at the Stephen O'Connell Center. Despite dropping the contest, 84-73, the Dolphins held with the Gators for much of the game which included clipping a double-digit advantage late in regulation.

"I think the girls played hard," said Head Coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin. "They left it all on the floor. We had eight keys [to winning this game] and put into motion five of them consistently. The three we didn't - transition defense, rebounding and free throws- if we can take care of those things, in the future, we are going to be a really good basketball team. I don't know anyone that wants to be playing their best basketball in November but I was able to see some great things from our freshmen and first five that we'll be able to build on."

Shooting 8-of-18 from the field, including four makes from beyond the arc, Sherranda Reddick led all scorers with 25 points. Her point total was two shy of tying her career high and one point less than what she amounted in her collegiate debut at Florida A&M last season.

"Sherranda is a gamer," McCuin continued. "Sherranda is a competitor and what you see on the floor is just a product of what she does in practice. She works extremely hard and gives 100 percent, 100 percent of the time, and she will only get better as time goes on."

In her JU debut, redshirt-junior LaDeyah Forte' posted 11 points with six assists while three other Dolphins finished with eight points.

Reddick scored JU's first points of the 2014-15 campaign with a jumper with 18:30 remaining and the basket clipped Florida's early 4-0 advantage. At the first media timeout, the Dolphins trailed UF, 10-4, and following the quick break Coach McCuin and the Fins turned the pressure on – forcing two turnovers on the subsequent Gator possessions which led to a pair of unanswered points from Briona Brown.

Haley Lorenzen ended JU's 4-0 run on a layup with 13:13 remaining and Reddick nailed her first three-pointer on the next play to pull the Fins within one, 12-11. Over the next five minutes, Florida worked a 9-2 run but only held an eight-point advantage (21-13). Jenny Vernet closed the Gators lead to two, 24-22, with 5:20 left and while the Gators tried to extend their lead, JU stuck around. Briggs attempted a three at the close of the half but it rimmed out. At the break, JU trailed, 37-33.

The teams traded baskets through the first five minutes of the second frame until Florida held a double-digit advantage, 47-37, its' first of the game, with 14:12 remaining. The Gators hovered around the mark until Reddick knocked down a pair of threes to close the gap to five, 60-55.

A 6-0 run lifted the Gators back up to a double-figure edge and again they stayed around that point differential until JU pulled within four, 72-68, with 2:09 on the clock.

Jacksonville just wouldn't quit but free throws proved to be the difference down the stretch. Over the foul limit, Dolphin mistakes sent the Gators to the line 10 times and they made every attempt. On the opposite side of the floor, JU went 1-for-3 from the strip and 2-for-4 from the field, which wasn't enough to change the swing of things.

"It's [the play of the freshmen] going to be huge. We have five games in nine days. We have to be able to play our bench. When our starters got into foul trouble the last four minutes of the first half, and we were still able to be in the game, it spoke volumes on their play. As a coach it made me feel good about where we are going to go."

Freshman Kayla Gordon led a stellar debut. Nearly posting a double-double, she finished the night with eight points and 10 boards, six of them offensive.

Next, the Dolphins travel to Georgia Southern on Tuesday, Nov. 18. Tip-off is scheduled for 5 p.m.