The Florida Gators open conference play Thursday against Tennessee (8-3) after finishing the non-conference portion of the schedule with a 12-3 record. That stretch showed consistent scoring production and defensive efficiency, while also revealing areas for improvement in turnovers and free-throw shooting.
As Florida women’s basketball enters Southeastern Conference play, minimizing mistakes becomes increasingly important in a conference known for its pace, depth and defensive pressure.
Those issues surfaced in the most recent game against Furman. Florida committed 18 turnovers, which the Paladins converted into 11 points, and shot 16-for-26 from the free-throw line in the win.
“Obviously, we need to clean up our free throws and our turnovers, but that’s something that we’re aware of,” said Florida head coach Kelly Rae Finley.
The game before presented similar challenges. A season-high 23 turnovers in a loss to Tulsa led to 32 points off of mistakes and 26 points in transition, marking Florida’s first home loss of the season.
The Gators are averaging 16.5 turnovers per game, exceeding the SEC average of roughly 14.4 and placing added emphasis on ball security as conference play begins.
As the team opens its SEC slate, the schedule doesn’t offer much room for error. The Gators are set to face several currently undefeated teams during league action, including Texas (15-0), LSU (14-0), Alabama (14-0), Georgia (14-0) and Vanderbilt (13-0).
That stretch of opponents will test whether Florida’s efficiency on both ends of the floor can offset the mistakes that surfaced late in non-conference play.
Florida’s non-conference success has been driven largely by scoring efficiency and defensive production. The Gators have outpaced opponents by nearly 20 points per game, pairing a productive offense with a defense that has limited its opponents’ shooting.
To compare, the team is shooting 46.0 percent from the field, while holding opponents to 36.3 percent shooting.
Individually, Florida has received consistent production from its primary scorers. Sophomore forward Me’Arah O’Neal is averaging 14.4 points per game and leads the team in rebounds, averaging 7.9. Junior forward Laila Reynolds is averaging a career-high 13.1 points.
Sophomore guard Liv McGill leads the team and ranks third nationally in scoring at 24.4 points per game. She also ranks 12th nationally in steals at 3.69 per game and 16th in assists at 6.2 per game.
“Their best days are still ahead of them,” Finley said of O’Neal, McGill and Reynolds.
The team’s offensive ability was on full display in the first four games, which all ended in wins of 30 points or more. On the defensive end, the Gators average 11.5 steals and 4.9 blocks per game, both contributing to 24.7 points off turnovers.
While O’Neal, McGill and Reynolds provide the bulk of scoring, Florida has depth across the roster, giving Finley confidence that any player called upon can contribute.
“As a coach, I have a lot of confidence in every single one of our student athletes being able to come in and contribute no matter what the need is for that game,” Finley said.
Junior forward Jade Weathersby leads the team in 3-point shooting percentage at 37.5%. Junior center Gift Ezekiel has also shown precise scoring with a .692 field goal percentage.
That versatility could prove crucial in conference play, where opponents are faster, deeper and more disciplined than most non-conference foes.
“We have a group that's really bought into working on our weaknesses and minimizing those challenges so that our team can do the best that we can do,” Finley said.
Contact Isis Snow at isnow@alligator.org. Follow her on X @isis_snoww.
Isis is a junior sports journalism student and is the volleyball beat reporter for fall 2025. This is her third semester with The Alligator. She enjoys reading, playing basketball and weight lifting in her free time.
