GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The Florida Women's Basketball Team (9-2) continues its five-game December homestand on Sunday, Dec. 14 with a matchup against West Georgia. Tipoff at Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center is set for 2 p.m. EST.
In their most recent outing, the Gators earned a 75-61 victory over South Alabama on Dec. 7. SEC Player of the Year candidate Liv McGill delivered a standout performance with 32 points, 17 of which came in the second quarter. Her scoring surge flipped a five-point deficit after the opening period into a 13-point Florida advantage at halftime. Freshman "Nidi" Yiech contributed her first career double-double in the win, finishing with 14 points and a career-high 10 rebounds.
McGill has now recorded three games of 30 or more points this season, making her one of just two players in Division I Women's Basketball to reach that mark (joining Iowa State’s Audi Brooks). As of Tuesday, Dec. 9, the Minnesota native ranks second nationally in scoring (27.3 ppg), sixth in steals per game (4.22), and 33rd in assists per game (5.4).
Me'Arah O'Neal's 14.1 points per game, and Laila Reynolds' 13.4 points per game give the Gators a trio of double-digit scorers.
The NCAA released its initial NET rankings on Nov. 30, with Florida opening the season at No. 40 nationally. Ahead of Sunday’s matchup with the Wolves, the Gators hold a NET ranking of 48.
West Georgia is in the second year of its five-year transition from Division II to Division I, and this contest marks the first-ever meeting between the two programs. The Wolves previously made five NCAA Division II Women’s Basketball Tournament appearances and captured the Gulf South Tournament Championship in 2024. In their first Division I campaign last season, West Georgia finished 13-17 overall, including a 7-11 mark in Atlantic Sun Conference play.
This year, the Wolves are off to a 4-3 start, powered by four double-digit scorers: Asia Donald (17.0 ppg), Jasmine Jones (15.4), Sydne Tolbert (13.3), and Destiny Jones (11.0). Grace O’Gara is close to joining that group, averaging 9.7 points per game. Depth remains a challenge, as those five players account for 78 percent of the team’s minutes, 86 percent of its field goal attempts, and 91 percent of its scoring output.
The Wolves and Gators share one common opponent in non-conference play—Georgia Tech. Florida defeated the Yellow Jackets 64-56 at the Grand Cayman Classic over Thanksgiving weekend, while West Georgia earned a 69-60 victory against Tech on Nov. 19.
West Georgia (4-3)
- Date: Sunday, December 14
- Time: 2 p.m. EST
- Site: Exactech Arena at Stephen C. O'Connell Center
- Listen: wruf.com/listen-live/
- Watch: SECN+
- Live stats: FloridaGators.com
A FLORIDA WIN WOULD …
- Improve the Gators record to 10-2 on the year.
- Improve Florida's record to 7-0 at home on the year.
- Run the Gators' streak of consecutive non-conference home wins to 14, which would be the seventh longest such streak in program history.
- Be the team's ninth consecutive win at home, which would tie them for the sixth longest such streak in program history.
TALE OF THE TAPE
| Florida | West Georgia | |
|---|---|---|
| 77.9 | PPG | 69.7 |
| 58.3 | OPP PPG | 69.9 |
| +19.6 | SCORING MARGIN | -0.2 |
| 45.3 | FG % | 39.6 |
| 36.4 | OPP FG% | 40.7 |
| 26.5 | 3 FG% | 32.4 |
| 27.6 | OPP 3 FG% | 32.9 |
| 4.7 | 3FG/G | 8.3 |
| 69.7 | FT % | 69.3 |
| 41.8 | REBOUNDS/G | 40.7 |
| 36.4 | OPP REBOUNDS/G | 37.4 |
| +5.4 | REB MARGIN | +3.3 |
| 12.5 | ASSISTS/G | 13 |
| 15.6 | TURNOVER/G | 19.1 |
| +0.8 | A/TO RATIO | 0.68 |
| 11.5 | STEALS/G | 7.7 |
| 4.55 | BLOCKS/G | 2.43 |
PROJECTED FLORIDA STARTERS
| No. | Ht. | Pos. | Class | Hometown/Previous School | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Me'Arah O'Neal | 8 | 6-4 | F | So | Houston Texas |
| Alexia Dizeko | 9 | 5-11 | G | Gr. | Sion, Switzerland |
| Laila Reynolds | 13 | 6-1 | G | Jr. | PG County, Md. |
| Caterina Piatti | 14 | 6-4 | F | Fr. | Scandiano, Italy |
| Liv McGill | 23 | 5-9 | G | So | Minneapolis, Minn. |
GATOR BITES
- Through games played on Tuesday, Dec. 9, Florida ranks 11th in the SEC in scoring at 77.9 points per game. The Gators also sit 11th in scoring defense (58.3), 11th in scoring margin (+19.6), and 11th in field goal percentage (.453). On the defensive side, Florida is 10th in field goal percentage allowed (.364) and seventh in three-point field goal percentage defense (.276). The team additionally stands eighth in steals (11.6), ninth in turnover margin (+5.36), ninth in offensive rebound percentage (.368), and 10th in blocked shots (4.55).
- Liv McGillbecame the first player in Gators women’s basketball history to earn recognition as aUS Basketball Writers Association National Player of the Weekon Tuesday, Nov. 11.
- She averaged 27.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, 7.3 assists, and 5.00 steals, while shooting 40.9% from three-point range across Florida’s three victories.
- She was also honored as the SEC Player of the Week for her performance during that same stretch.
- Over Thanksgiving weekend, Liv McGill was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Grand Cayman Classic.
- She posted averages of 27.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 2.00 steals, and 1.00 blocked shots during the tournament.
- This season, Liv McGill has recorded three games with at least 25 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 5 steals.
- By comparison, the other 4,505 Division I women’s basketball players have combined for only three such 25-5-5-5 games.
- The Gators have held 13 consecutive opponents below 70 points.
PROJECTED WEST GEORGIA STARTERS
| No. | Ht. | Pos. | Class | Hometown / Previous Schools | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sydne Tolbert | 1 | 5-4 | G | Jr. | Louisville, Ky. / |
| Asia Donald | 3 | 5-9 | G | Jr. | Hobart, Ind. / |
| Grace O'Gara | 5 | 5-5 | G | Jr. | Worcester, Mass. / Auburn Montgomery |
| Gal-la Font | 11 | 6-0 | F | Jr. | Barcelona, Spain / Western Nebraska CC |
| Jasmine Jones | 32 | 5-11 | F | Sr. | Carrollton, Ga. / Chipola, New Orleans |
WOLVES QUICK HITS
- The Wolves are currently in their second season competing as a Division I program.
- The women’s basketball team was the only West Georgia program to qualify for the ASUN Conference Tournament during their inaugural Division I campaign.
- In preseason predictions, the Wolves were picked to finish 10th in the ASUN by both coaches and media.
- West Georgia features four players averaging double figures this season:
- Asia Donald – 17.0 ppg
- Jasmine Jones – 15.4 ppg
- Sydne Tolbert – 13.3 ppg
- Destiny Jones – 11.0 ppg
- Grace O’Gara is close to double digits at 9.7 ppg.
- Sydne Tolbert and Destiny Jones earned spots on the preseason All-ASUN Team.
- Jasmine Jones was recognized as both the ASUN newcomer and player of the year in the opening week of the season.
