Alexia Dizeko’s last act in Orange and Blue
By Isis Snow | Mar. 2Alexia Dizeko didn’t make her final regular-season home game about herself. After the final buzzer, there were no dramatic speeches or lingering goodbyes, just gratitude.
Womens Basketball reporter Isis is a senior sports journalism student who is in her fourth semester at The Alligator. She previously has written for the Avenue desk and has covered the Florida volleyball beat. She also has experience in live broadcast reporting with WUFT. Despite hailing from Las Vegas, Nevada, she is a life-long Michigan and Detroit Lions fan. To make up for the emotional toll of being a fan of those teams, you will often find her in the gym weight lifting and playing basketball.
Alexia Dizeko didn’t make her final regular-season home game about herself. After the final buzzer, there were no dramatic speeches or lingering goodbyes, just gratitude.
Gator fans stood and applauded for Liv McGill after she broke Florida’s 25-year-long single-season scoring record.
Mississippi fans mimicked Florida’s rival, FSU, shouting the Seminoles' war chant during every Gator free-throw attempt. But the effort was in vain. Florida (16-12, 4-9 SEC) secured the win over Mississippi State (18-9, 5-8) 71-56 in its first conference win on the road at the Humphrey Coliseum in Starkville, Mississippi.
After a sloppy first half by both teams and an uphill climb for the Sooners in the third, it all came down to the fourth quarter.
Florida faces the final five games of the regular season, vying for a favorable seeding in the SEC Tournament. Where they stand and what it’ll take.
On Jan. 11, Auburn bested the Gators 60-50, keeping UF winless in conference play. However, nearly one month later, the tides had shifted.
Poised for the upset, Florida led for 26 minutes against No. 5 Vanderbilt in Nashville, but a 32-point Commodore third quarter toppled it all.
Florida grabbed early momentum, but No. 4 Texas took control in the paint and never let go. Turnovers and interior defense proved costly in an 88-68 loss.
Florida kept it close early but couldn’t sustain the momentum, falling 89–60 to No. 6 LSU in Baton Rouge. Physicality and consistency proved decisive as the Gators head into another tough matchup this Thursday.
Florida travels to Baton Rouge to face No. 6 LSU. The Gators aim to build on momentum from their win over Missouri as they take on one of the SEC’s top teams. Tip-off is at 7 p.m.