The Gators concluded day one of preparations at Hinkle Fieldhouse with high energy as they look to secure a spot in a postseason final for the first time since 2000.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida held off a second-half push from Texas Tech to earn a 67–64 victory at the O'Connell Center on Thursday night. The win sends the Gators to the 2025 WBIT Final Four, where they’ll face Minnesota at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Florida shot 41.1% from the field (23-for-56), with standout performances from
Liv McGill and
Ra Shaya Kyle. McGill led all scorers with 22 points, while Kyle added 21 points and 12 rebounds—her 16th double-double of the season. Kyle also went a perfect 9-for-9 from the free throw line.
Florida’s 2025 Postseason Milestones
- First-ever WBIT semifinal appearance in program history
- First postseason semifinal since 2013
- 5–1 record in 2025 postseason play
- All-time WBIT record improves to 3–1
- Three-game postseason win streak
- Secures a winning record for the 2024–25 season
Game Breakdown by Quarter
Opening Period
- Florida scored 11 points, with 73% coming from inside the paint
- Warren delivered back-to-back blocks to stall Texas Tech’s offense
- The Lady Raiders were held scoreless for the first six minutes
- McGill led with four points (50% shooting)
- Reynolds, Kyle, and O'Neal each grabbed three rebounds
- Florida led 11–6 at the end of the first
Second Quarter
- Gators added 16 points, shooting 40% (6-for-15)
- A technical foul on Texas Tech led to five Florida points
- McGill contributed eight points, three rebounds, two assists, and a steal
- Kenza Salgues hit both of Florida’s three-pointers (2-for-5)
- Texas Tech took its first lead at 24–23 (4:25)
- Florida trailed 31–27 at halftime
Third Quarter
- Texas Tech opened with an 11–4 run, their largest lead at 42–31
- Florida recorded four steals, a game high
- Dizeko scored five of Florida’s nine early points
- Kyle posted seven points in just over two minutes
- Florida regained the lead at 43–42 (1:51)
- 16 points came from inside the paint
- Florida outscored Texas Tech 22–14
Final Period
- Four lead changes occurred in the fourth
- The score stayed within three points for the final seven minutes
- Kyle led with 10 points; McGill added six
- Florida grabbed 10 rebounds, with Kyle securing six
- UF went 11-for-14 from the free throw line (78.6%)
- Both teams had 10 rebounds in the quarter
- The period saw 19 personal fouls combined
Key Stats and Highlights
- Coach Finley now holds 75 career wins at Florida
- Kyle’s 16th double-double: 21 points, 12 rebounds
- McGill (22) and Kyle (21) were the only double-digit scorers
- McGill has scored in double figures in 33 of 36 games, including 14 with 20+ points
- Florida outscored Texas Tech in Q1 (11–6) and Q3 (22–14)
- 32 points came from the paint
- UF shot 73.9% from the free throw line (17-for-23)
- Kyle was perfect from the line (9-for-9)
- Florida forced 16 turnovers, converting them into 17 points
- Bench contributed 13 points
- 20 points came from fastbreaks
- Gators made 16 of 28 layup attempts
- McGill accounted for 44% of Florida’s steals (4 of 9)
- Six players had 3+ rebounds
- Florida was out-rebounded 44–37
- Team totaled 10 assists, with McGill leading at six
- McGill has led in assists 28 times this season
- Florida has scored 20+ points in 61 of 146 quarters this season
- UF averaged 1.0 points per possession across 67 possessions
- Florida led for 26 minutes and 15 seconds
- The Gators now have 12 home wins this season
- This marks Florida’s fourth win by five points or fewer this year
CAREER HIGHS:
| Ra Shaya Kyle | |||
| FT Made | 9 | vs Tulane 11/28/24, vs Alabama 02/06/25, vs Texas Tech 03/27/25 | |
| Laila Reynolds | |||
| Steals | 3 | vs Mississippi St. 02/16/25, vs Texas Tech 03/27/25 |
TEAM RECORDS:
Florida: 19–17 overall, 6–12 in SEC play
Texas Tech: 19–18 overall, 4–14 in Big 12 competition
Head-to-Head History
Florida and Texas Tech have now faced off twice in program history, with the Gators holding a 2–0 advantage in the all-time series.
Gator Soundbites
Head Coach Kelly Rae Finleyreflected on the team’s development over the past year:
"I think this team could attest to it, and it's something that we've talked about a little bit. We need to just be more consistent through the summer, and just overall need to be more consistent earlier on. But that comes with experience. Only a year ago, Liv was playing in the State High School tournament in Minnesota, and it's not an excuse, but it takes experience to know what it takes to make it. I think that we've learned what it takes throughout this season and I fully expect us to be playing this weekend next year, just in a different tournament."
Freshman
Liv McGill
shared what fuels her performance:
"Family is everything to me so the reason why I play is for my family. It gives me that motivation and that inspiration. I'm very appreciative that my family can come to these games and support me. To look over and my mom and my niece is in the stands, and then Chas in the stands, it reminds me that that's who I'm playing for. And, you know, I just try to be the best I can. The best teammate and to be the best player I can every game."
What’s Next for Florida
Florida advances to the 2025 WBIT semifinals and will face Minnesota on Monday, March 31 at 5 p.m. ET. The matchup will take place at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis and will be broadcast on ESPNU.
Minnesota, the No. 2 seed, earned their spot with an 82–77 overtime win against No. 4 seed Gonzaga. The Gophers were led by Amaya Battle with 35 points and Grace Grocholski with 20.
Match Details – WBIT Semifinal
- Opponent: Minnesota (23–11, 8–10 Big Ten)
- Date: Monday, March 31
- Time: 5:00 p.m. ET
- Location: Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Ind.
- Broadcast: ESPNU
ABOUT THE WBIT:
Event Information
Selection Criteria
Updated Bracket
JOIN THE CONVERSATION: #GoGators
