In Columbia, S.C., the Gators encountered a formidable challenge as they fell to No. 4 South Carolina with a final score of 101-63. Florida had just two players reach double digits in scoring— Liv McGill and Ra Shaya—each contributing 15 points.

On the defensive end, Alexia Gassett stood out by securing eight rebounds. Collectively, the team pulled down 37 boards, shot 33.3 percent from the floor (22-of-66), and recorded 11 assists.

What Took Place:

First Quarter Highlights

• Ra Shaya Kyle secured the opening tip, giving Florida initial control of the ball
• Liv McGill paced the Gators’ offense, contributing five of the team’s 15 points
• Florida connected on 38.5 percent of its shots, going 5-for-13 from the floor
• South Carolina dominated the boards early, outrebounding UF 13 to 4
• Jeriah Warren was responsible for both of Florida’s steals in the quarte
• The Gamecocks held a commanding lead at the end of the first, 36-15

Second Quarter Breakdown

• Me'Arah O'Neal led Florida’s scoring with six points, going 2-for-2 from the floor and 1-for-1 at the stripe
• Liv McGill added five points, handed out two assists, and picked up a steal
• Seven of the Gators’ 17 points came from second-chance opportunities
• Florida improved its rebounding effort, grabbing 12 boards—three times more than in the first quarter
• South Carolina’s largest lead of the half reached 62-32 with eight seconds remaining

Third Quarter Highlights

• Twelve of Florida’s 16 points were scored in the paint
• The Gators collected 11 rebounds, with Alexia Gassett leading the way with three
• Florida strung together an 8-0 scoring run midway through the quarter (6:57–4:36)
• Ra Shaya Kyle topped the scoring chart with seven points, shooting a perfect 3-for-3
• UF posted its best shooting percentage of the game at 43.8 percent (7-of-16)

Fourth Quarter Recap

• Florida earned 11 trips to the free throw line, converting six points
• Kyle again led the team in scoring with six points
• Six points came from bench contributions, and another six were scored in the paint
• The Gators secured 10 rebounds, with six different players contributing

Key Stats and Notes



• Two Gators reached double figures: McGill (15) and Kyle (15)
• McGill has scored in double digits in 23 of her 25 games with Florida, including 10 outings with 20+ points
• Florida shot 33.3 percent overall (22-of-66)
• 28 of the team’s 63 points were scored in the paint
• Bench players contributed 17 points
• The team went 14-of-21 from the free throw line
• McGill dished out four assists and has led the team in that category 19 times this season
• Five players contributed to Florida’s 11 total assists
• South Carolina held a 51-37 edge in rebounds
• Gassett led Florida in rebounding for the third time, grabbing eight boards
• Eight Gators recorded two or more rebounds: Gassett (8), Kyle (6), O'Neal (5), Warren (4), McGill (3), Salgues (2), Dizeko (2), Kindred (2)
• Florida has scored 20+ points in 46 of its 102 quarters this season
• The team made 10 layups out of 26 attempts
• Florida finished with 76 possessions, averaging 0.82 points per possession
  

Coach’s Corner: Insights from Kelly Rae Finley

Reflecting on the matchup against South Carolina, Head Coach Kelly Rae Finley acknowledged the caliber of the opponent, stating: "South Carolina is one of the best teams in the country for a reason. We have a young team that is full of competitors, so our ability to reset and understand that this is the pace, the transitions, and the physicality that the game is going to be played at was a need for us."

On what Florida can take away from the experience, Coach Finley emphasized the importance of growth: "It is important to learn and grow after every single game—win or lose. And for us, there is a lot we can take away from this game in terms of the direction of our program, where we are trying to go, and what it is going to take to be able to get there."

TEAM RECORDS:
Florida: (12-13, 3-8 SEC)
South Carolina:(23-2, 11-1 SEC) 

Series Snapshot

Florida trails South Carolina in the all-time matchup, with the Gamecocks holding a 23-20 advantage

Looking Ahead

Florida is set to host Mississippi State in Gainesville on Sunday, February 16, with tipoff scheduled for 2 p.m. ET at Exactech Arena inside the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. Fans can catch the action live via SECN+.

Mississippi State enters the matchup averaging 76.6 points per game and shooting 46.7 percent from the field. Jerkaila Jordan leads the Bulldogs in scoring with 16.2 points per game, while Eniya Russell contributes 12.5. On the defensive end, Madina Okot anchors the rebounding effort with 9.2 boards per game.

NEXT UP: Mississippi State (17-8, 4-7 SEC)

• Date: Sun., Feb. 16
• Time: 2 p.m. ET
• Site: Exactech Arena at Stephen C. O'Connell Center
• Radio: ESPN Gainesville 98.1 FM / 850 AM
• Watch: SECN+
• Live stats: Statbroadcast