Without its powerhouse guard, Liv McGill, Florida women’s basketball struggled to pull away with a victory against FAU, a program the Gators had beaten five consecutive times and led 8-1 in the all-time series.
However, junior guard Laila Reynolds delivered a standout offensive performance, scoring 17 points to give Florida a much-needed boost in the second half and secure its first road victory of the season.
"We really got to the basket today," Reynolds said. "We really focused on getting the ball inside, and that's how we got it done today."
Florida (6-1) defeated Florida Atlantic (2-3) 59-51 Monday night at the Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena in Boca Raton, Florida, marking the Gators’ sixth straight win against the Owls.
Junior guard Laila Reynolds had a slower start with only five points by the half, but her third-quarter efforts gave UF its most sizeable cushion of the night and sparked Florida’s offense to reach its largest lead in the fourth quarter at 11 points. Her 17 points came from 5-of-15 field goals and 7-of-10 free throws.
Reynolds scored seven points on 3-of-4 free throws and 2-of-6 field goals in the third, becoming the second Gator to reach double figures in scoring and helping Florida outshoot Florida Atlantic 19-15.
Florida’s sophomore guard and leading scorer (26 ppg), Liv McGill, was absent from the game due to an undisclosed reason. McGill missed UF’s game at Navy on Nov. 16, when the team was handed its first loss of the season, 69-54. In Florida’s last game against FSU on Thursday, McGill posted 27 points, seven rebounds, five assists and seven steals, contributing to the Gators’ first victory against the Seminoles since 2021.
Freshman forward Caterina Piatti was the first Gator to reach double digits in the third quarter, but she saw fewer minutes for the rest of the night when she notched four personal fouls. The Scandiano, Italy, native recorded the first double-double of her freshman campaign with 14 points and 10 rebounds.
Sophomore forward Me’Arah O’Neal was the third UF player in double figures. Although she broke her double-double streak (4), she dominated in the paint defensively, leading her team with five blocks. O’Neal also notched 11 points on 3-of-11 field goals and 5-of-6 free throws.
In the first quarter, UF had an early advantage of 14-8, as Piatti led with six points.
However, by the second quarter, the Owls picked up their pace and closed the gap. FAU outshot UF 16-11, with the help of graduate student guard Destyne Jackson’s five points. Jackson totaled 10 points on 4-of-11 field goals, 1-of-5 three-pointers and 1-of-2 free throws.
FAU senior guard Michiyah Simmons and junior forward Vivian Onugha followed behind with nine points, respectively. Onugha was just short of a double-double with 10 rebounds.
It seemed as though FAU would take the lead heading into the half, but UF freshman center Gift Ezekiel’s pair of free throws put UF ahead 25-24 at halftime.
Overall, Florida shot 36% from the field, compared to FAU’s 31%. However, the Gators notched zero shots from behind the arc on five attempts, while the Owls shot 16% from the three-point line.
At halftime, Florida committed fewer turnovers than Florida Atlantic (11-9), but by the end of the game, the Gators had 21, compared to the Owls’ 19. Additionally, the Gators only scored 13 points off turnovers, while the Owls recorded 24.
From the third quarter on, Florida controlled the hardwood and brought FAU’s offense to a halt, as the Gators outshot the Owls 15-12 in the final quarter.
Florida travels to face Memphis (3-3) Friday at 7:30 p.m. in the Cayman Islands Classic, held in the Grand Cayman Islands.
Contact Amanda Roman at aroman@alligator.org. Follow her on X @mandy_romannn
Amanda is The Alligator's Assistant Sports Editor and a senior sports journalism student. She previously worked as the soccer and women's basketball reporter. She also interned at Fort Lauderdale United FC. In her free time, she enjoys weight lifting, shopping and reading.
