The Gators will look to secure its third consecutive win at the 2025 SEC Tournament. UF has made a run into the postseason tournament in back-to-back years under head coach Kelly Rae Finley.
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GREENVILLE, S.C.— Florida is gearing up for a high-stakes showdown against No. 9 LSU in their third straight SEC Tournament appearance. As the No. 3 seed, LSU enters the quarterfinal round fresh off a double bye. The Gators will kick off the Tigers’ postseason journey with an 8:30 p.m. ET tipoff at Bon Secours Wellness Arena.
Coverage will be provided by Carolyn Peck and Courtney Lyle on SEC Network, while fans can also catch the action via Kyle Crooks and Brittany Davis on ESPN Gainesville radio.
No. 9 LSU (27-4, 12-4 SEC):
- Date: Fri., Mar. 7
- Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
- Site: Bon Secours Wellness Arena
- Radio: ESPN Gainesville 98.1 FM / 850 AM
- Watch: SECN
- Live stats: Statbroadcast
What’s at Stake with a Florida Victory
A win for the Gators on Friday would mark their first triumph over LSU since 2022 and adjust the all-time SEC Tournament series between the two programs to 2-3. It would also improve Florida’s overall SEC Tournament record to 28-44 and extend their 2025 postseason run to 3-0.
Additional milestones include:
- Third neutral-site win of the season
- Fifth-ever SEC Tournament quarterfinal victory
- First quarterfinals win since 1998
- 2024–25 SEC record rising to 8-11
- All-time SEC record reaching 234-336
- Coach Finley’s 28th SEC win at the helm
- February 2025 record improving to 6-5
- Snapping a four-game losing streak against LSU
- Fifth SEC postseason win in the last two years
TALE OF THE TAPE
| Florida | THE NUMBERS | LSU |
|---|---|---|
| 74.6 | PPG | 85.1 |
| 70.4 | OPP PPG | 65.3 |
| 4.2 | SCORING MARGIN | 19.8 |
| 45.2 | FG % | 45.7 |
| 40.5 | OPP FG% | 37 |
| 31.4 | 3 FG% | 33.6 |
| 72.4 | FT % | 73.6 |
| 40.2 | REBOUNDS PG | 46.4 |
| 14.2 | ASSISTS PG | 14.9 |
| 17.2 | TURNOVERS PG | 14.8 |
| 7.2 | STEALS PG | 9.9 |
| 3.9 | BLOCKS PG | 4.3 |
Florida vs. LSU: Series Snapshot & Historical Context
The Gators trail LSU in their all-time series, with the Tigers holding a 33-16 advantage. Florida has dropped the last four matchups against LSU, a streak that began on February 20, 2022 and continued through their most recent meeting on January 19, 2024.
Historical Matchups
Since their first encounter in 1978, Florida and LSU have faced off 49 times. Of those:
- 24 games were hosted in Gainesville
- 22 took place in Baton Rouge
- 3 were held at neutral venues
Friday’s contest marks the first neutral-site meeting between the two teams since March 5, 2020, when Florida fell 73-59 in Greenville during postseason play. The Gators’ last win over LSU came on January 23, 2022, with a narrow 73-72 victory at Exactech Arena.
This upcoming game will be the second clash between Florida and LSU in the 2024–25 season. Their previous meeting occurred on January 19, 2025 in Gainesville, where Florida was defeated 80-63 by the then-No. 5 ranked Tigers.
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PROJECTED FLORIDA STARTERS:
| Florida | No. | Height | Position | Class | Hometown/Previous School |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexia Dizeko | 9 | 5-11 | F | Sr. | Sion, Switzerland |
| Laila Reynolds | 13 | 6-1 | G | So. | PG County, MD |
| Jeriah Warren | 20 | 6-0 | G | Sr. | Lake Charles, LA |
| Liv McGill | 23 | 5-9 | G | Fr. | Minneapolis, MN |
| Ra Shaya Kyle | 24 | 6-6 | C | Sr. | Marion, Ind. / Purdue |
Florida’s Road to the Quarterfinals
The Gators secured a hard-fought 63-61 victory over No. 20 Alabama on Thursday night, advancing to the SEC Tournament quarterfinals. Freshman standout Liv McGill led the charge with a career-best 29 points, marking her twelfth 20+ point performance of the season.
Florida shot 34.9% from the field (22-of-63) and earned its first win over a ranked opponent since 2022. On the defensive end, Me'Arah O'Neal contributed nine of the team’s 41 rebounds, while Laila Reynolds added three blocks, six boards, and a steal to anchor Florida’s defensive effort.
PROJECTED FLORIDA STARTERS:
| LSU | No. | Height | Position | Class | Hometown/Previous School |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Last-Tear Poa | 13 | 5-11 | G | Sr. | Melbourne, Australia/ Northwest Florida |
| Kailyn Gilbert | 16 | 5-8 | G | Jr. | Tampa Bay, Fla./ Arizona |
| Mikaylah Williams | 12 | 6-0 | G | So. | Bossier City, La./ Parkway HS |
| Annesah Morrow | 24 | 6-1 | F | Sr. | Chicago, Ill./ Simeon HS |
| Sa'Myah Smith | 5 | 6-2 | F | R. So | Texarkana, Tex./DeSoto HS |
Scouting LSU: Tigers Enter Quarterfinals Hungry for Redemption
LSU heads into Friday’s matchup riding a two-game skid, having narrowly lost to Alabama (88-85 on Feb. 27, 2025) and Ole Miss (85-77 on Mar. 2, 2025). Despite the recent setbacks, the Tigers posted 27 regular-season wins in 2024–25, matching a program-best and maintaining a ranked status throughout the year.
With Flau'Jae Johnson sidelined due to a lower-body injury, Annesah Morrow has stepped up as LSU’s primary force. Morrow is averaging 18.2 points and 14.0 rebounds per game and currently leads the nation in double-doubles with 26.
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