Despite falling short in Sunday’s game at Navy, the Gators bounced back on their home court, showcasing determination and grit as they defeated the Florida State Seminoles for the first time since Dec. 12, 2021.
Florida was without its top scorer and sophomore guard, Liv McGill, in its last match due to a leg injury. However, she returned to Gainesville stronger than ever, leading the Gators to victory with a team-high 27 points.
“I mean, it hurt that we lost, but the next day is coming,” McGill said. “It’s 0-0, so that’s what we’re focusing on.”
Florida (5-1) handed Florida State (3-3) an 89-67 defeat Thursday night at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center, breaking the Gators’ three-game losing streak in the series.
“Best Florida basketball start to finish, that’s what you saw, that’s what we expect, that’s how we train,” UF head coach Kelly Rae Finley said. “... We are connected, we’re resilient, we’re hungry, and that’s what you saw on the court tonight.”
McGill scored nine points in the third quarter alone, contributing to Florida outscoring Florida State 21-11. At the end of the third quarter, the Gators were ahead by 17 points and cruised to victory from there.
Junior guard Laila Reynolds reached a career-high 21 points. She sparked the Gators' scoring column, reaching double digits with 10 points in the first quarter to help UF secure an early lead.
“My teammates just kept me going,” Reynolds said. “We all just kept leaning in on each other.”
After having a slow start with just one point in the first half, sophomore forward Me’Arah O’Neal found her rhythm in the second. She finished the night with 11 rebounds and 18 points, 12 of which came from the fourth quarter alone, marking her fourth double-double of the season.
O’Neal opened the third quarter with a layup and dominated both offensively and defensively. Using her height and strength, O’Neal blocked FSU sophomore guard Tatum Greene’s three-pointer attempt at minute 6:29, drawing roars from the crowd.
“My teammates helped me out, just told me to keep going, and I just got to get up out my head,” O’Neal said.
Although the Seminoles are tied for 18th in the nation in three-pointers, averaging 9.4 per game, Florida shot 35% from behind the arc, compared to FSU’s 28%.
Freshman forward Nyadieng Yiech scored UF’s first three-pointer, capping off a 9-0 Florida run in the first quarter. Yiech scored 11 points, marking the third straight game she has reached double digits so far this season.
The first half was intense and aggressive, with both teams trading points in the opening minutes.
In the first quarter, each team committed three turnovers and notched three steals, but Florida pulled away, leading 23-16.
FSU junior center Pania Davis had a team-high six points in the first quarter, while UF’s defense held FSU’s leading scorer, junior guard Sole Williams, to just two points in the first.
“[Graduate student guard] Lex Dizeko is a standout defender,” Finley said. “And one thing about Lex was, whatever the team needs, she’s willing to do, and it was key to our success. … They were able to stay locked up. As a result of her defense, we didn’t have any forced rotations off the ball screens … we saw a lot of deflections and 38 points off turnovers.”
Davis led with 19 points, even though she fouled out of the game by the end of the night. Williams managed 15 points, falling short of her 17.5 points-per-game average.
However, in the second quarter, FSU picked up its offensive play. Although Florida had secured a 15-point lead in the second quarter, Florida State went on a 12-1 run at the end of the second quarter and forced six Gator turnovers over three minutes.
FSU commanded in shooting in the second quarter, with FSU graduate student forward Allie Kubek’s seven-point contribution. Kubek ended the game with 11 points on 4-of-6 field goals, 1-of-2 three-pointers and 2-of-2 free throws.
The Seminoles shot 47% from the field in the first half, compared to the Gators’ 44%, but UF still entered halftime ahead at 41-34. Yiech scored her second three-pointer in the last 20 seconds leading up to halftime, bringing the Gators to match the Seminoles' 18 points.
McGill and Reynolds were the only two players to reach double digits by the half.
UF also minimized its turnover struggles in the second half, committing only five turnovers, compared to the eight it committed in just the second quarter. Meanwhile, Florida forced 25 FSU turnovers and outrebounded the Seminoles 41-38.
The Gators outshot FSU 27-22 to close out the game, improving their field goal shooting to 47%, compared to Florida State’s 43%.
“They want to be great, and they want to be pros,” Finley said. “In that, there’s a lot of love, and there’s a lot of connection, and they’re willing to hold each other accountable to what we say we want, and it’s really unique in this environment. It’s really unique to see a team that cares about each other as much as our team does.”
Florida hits the road to face Florida Atlantic (2-1) Monday in Boca Raton, Florida, at 7 p.m.
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.
