The Gators women's basketball team returns to the O'Dome after receiving a bid into the 2025 WBIT. This marks the second consecutive year UF has been selected as a participant and a host site for the NCAA run tournament.
Gainesville, Fla. — The Florida Gators are set to open their 2025 Women's Basketball Invitation Tournament (WBIT) campaign at home, welcoming Northern Iowa to the Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center (O'Dome) on Thursday evening. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET, with live streaming available on ESPN+.
Florida enters the tournament as a No. 3 seed, following a strong showing that carried them to the SEC Tournament quarterfinals earlier this month. Their opponent, the Panthers, also reached the quarterfinals in their conference tournament before falling to Belmont, 64–46.
The winner of Thursday’s contest will move on to the second round of the WBIT, where they’ll face either UNLV or Hawaii on Sunday afternoon.
NORTHERN IOWA (17-16, 11-9 MVC):
- Date: Thursday, Mar. 20
- Time: 7:00 p.m.
- Site: Exactech Arena at Stephen C. O'Connell Center
- Stream: ESPN+
- Radio: ESPN Gainesville 98.1 FM / 850 AM
- Stats: StatBroadcast
- Tickets
What a Florida Win Would Mean
A victory for the Gators in this WBIT opener would mark several key milestones:
- Secure UF’s first-ever win in the WBIT
- Improve their 2025 postseason record to 3–1
- Bring Florida’s all-time WBIT record to 1–1
- Extend their head-to-head edge over Northern Iowa to 2–0
- Level their 2024–25 season record at 17–17
- Notch their 11th home win of the season
TALE OF THE TAPE:
| Florida | THE NUMBERS | UNI |
|---|---|---|
| 74.9 | PPG | 74.2 |
| 71.3 | OPP PPG | 69 |
| 3.6 | SCORING MARGIN | 5.2 |
| 45.2 | FG % | 44.5 |
| 40.8 | OPP FG% | 42.1 |
| 31.6 | 3 FG% | 35.8 |
| 72.8 | FT % | 71 |
| 39.9 | REBOUNDS PG | 34.9 |
| 14.4 | ASSISTS PG | 13.8 |
| 17.2 | TURNOVERS PG | 12.7 |
| 7.1 | STEALS PG | 9.1 |
| 3.9 | BLOCKS PG | 3.8 |
Series Snapshot: Florida vs. Northern Iowa
The Gators and Panthers have faced off just once in program history. That meeting took place in 2012, when UF earned an 80–63 victory over UNI, marking a decisive win in their only recorded matchup to date.
Gators vs. Panthers: A Glimpse into the Past
Florida and Northern Iowa have met just once in their programs’ histories. That matchup occurred in 2012 during the South Point Thanksgiving Shootout in Las Vegas, where the Gators earned a 17-point win, defeating the Panthers 80–63. The victory came under the direction of Coach Amanda Butler and was played on neutral ground.
PROJECTED FLORIDA STARTERS:
| Florida | No. | Height | �Position | Class | Hometown/Previous School |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexia Dizeko | 9 | 11-May | F | Sr. | Sion, Switzerland |
| Laila Reynolds | 13 | 1-Jun | G | So. | PG County, MD |
| Jeriah Warren | 20 | Jun-00 | G | Sr. | Lake Charles, LA |
| Liv McGill | 23 | 9-May | G | Fr. | Minneapolis, MN |
| Ra Shaya Kyle | 24 | 6-Jun | C | Sr. | Marion, Ind. / Purdue |
Florida’s Most Recent Matchup
On March 8, 2025, the Gators took the court in Greenville, South Carolina, during the SEC postseason tournament. In the quarterfinal round, Florida went head-to-head with a formidable LSU squad, ultimately falling short with a 101–87 final score. Liv McGill led the team with a 16-point performance, while Jeriah Warren added 14 points. Ra Shaya Kyle anchored the rebounding effort, pulling down 11 of the team’s 31 total boards.
Despite the loss, Florida’s youthful roster demonstrated significant potential throughout the tournament. The Gators notched consecutive victories over Auburn and sixth-seeded Alabama—making them the only SEC team to secure back-to-back wins en route to the quarterfinals.
PROJECTED NORTHERN IOWA STARTERS:
| Northern Iowa | No. | Height | �Position | Class | Hometown/Previous School |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maya McDermott | 0 | 6-May | G | Sr. | Johnston, Iowa/ Johnston HS |
| Kayba Laube | 24 | 9-May | G | Sr. | Marion, Iowa/ Marion HS |
| Ryley Goebel | 5 | 11-May | F | Jr. | Urbana, Iowa/ Center Point- Urbana HS |
| Emerson Green | 4 | 10-May | G | Sr. | Cedar Falls, Iowa/ Cedar Falls HS |
| Shateah Wetering | 13 | Jun-00 | F | Sr. | Montezuma, Iowa/ Montezuma HS |
Northern Iowa: Scouting the Panthers
Northern Iowa enters Thursday’s WBIT matchup with a 17–16 overall record, including 11–9 in Missouri Valley Conference play. The Panthers have shown they can compete with top-tier programs, highlighted by an 87–75 win over then-No. 8 Iowa State and a narrow 65–64 loss to Auburn earlier in the season.
Offensively, McDermott leads UNI with an average of 18.5 points per game, totaling 609 points across 33 appearances. She’s joined by Laube (12.6 ppg) and Goebel (10.2 ppg) in double-digit scoring. On the glass, Goebel anchors the rebounding effort, averaging 5.8 boards per game and collecting 191 rebounds this season.
ABOUT THE WBIT:
Event Information
Selection Criteria
Full Bracket
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