No. 23 Florida women use 23-2 4th quarter to win 67-38

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (AP) - Brooke Copeland scored 13 points and No. 23 Florida, without leading scorer Eleanna Christinaki, outscored North Carolina A&T 23-2 in the fourth quarter to roll to a 67-38 win on Sunday, ending a two-game losing streak.

After the game, Florida coach Amanda Butler said Christinaki, a sophomore from Greece who averaged 17.6 in the Gators' first nine games, "quit on her team."

Christinaki and freshman Delicia Washington, were suspended for the first half of the game for what Butler said was "behavior that is not becoming of a Gator nor part of our culture." Butler said Christinaki , who was named to the All-Southeastern Conference freshman team last season, had refused to accept the suspension and had left the team.

Washington had second-half 10 points and Ronni Williams and Haley Lorenzen each had 10 rebounds for the Gators (7-3). Florida had a 54-38 advantage on the boards and held the Aggies to 23 percent shooting (15 for 66) after a 1 for 14 fourth quarter that included nine misses behind the arc and six turnovers.

The Gators were 1 of 11 from 3-point range in the first quarter and shot 28 percent (8 of 29) for the first half for just a 23-20 lead. They made 9 of 15 shots in the third quarter, stretching the lead to 44-36.

Florida scored the first 15 points of the fourth before Whitney Marin hit a jumper at the four-minute mark, ending a 0 for 10 stretch for the Aggies.

Dana Brown made five 3-pointers in 17 attempts and scored 16 points for the Aggies (1-7).

Florida plays two more road games at the Sunshine Classic in Winter Park, Florida, before its first home game on Dec. 28 in the newly remodeled Exactech Arena.