The Gators will take on No. 20 Alabama in the second round of the SEC Tournament. This marks UF's second consecutive year advancing to round two of the postseason tournament.
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GREENVILLE, S.C.— Florida continues its SEC Tournament run Thursday night with a matchup against No. 20 Alabama. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET at Bon Secours Wellness Arena, with live coverage available on SEC Network.
The Gators advanced to the second round after a 60-50 win over Auburn on Wednesday. Alabama, seeded sixth, enters the tournament fresh, having received a first-round bye.
No. 20 Alabama (23-7, 10-6 SEC):
- Date: Thurs., Mar. 6
- 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 a Florida Victory Would Mean
A win over Alabama would mark Florida’s first triumph against the Crimson Tide since 2023 and improve their 2025 postseason record to 2-0. It would also be their second neutral-site win of the 2024–25 campaign and secure a second-round SEC Tournament victory for the second consecutive year. Additional milestones include:
- SEC record improving to 7-11
- All-time SEC record reaching 233-336
- Coach Kelly Rae Finley earning her 27th SEC win at Florida
- February 2025 record leveling at 5-5
- Snapping a three-game losing streak against Alabama
- Fourth SEC postseason win in the past two seasons
TALE OF THE TAPE:
| Florida | Alabama | |
|---|---|---|
| 74.9 | PPG | 78.9 |
| 70.7 | OPP PPG | 62.7 |
| 4.3 | SCORING MARGIN | 16.2 |
| 45.5 | FG % | 46.7 |
| 40.7 | OPP FG% | 37.8 |
| 31.5 | 3 FG% | 39.1 |
| 72.9 | FT % | 68.5 |
| 40.2 | REBOUNDS PG | 38.6 |
| 14.4 | ASSISTS PG | 15.5 |
| 17.3 | TURNOVERS PG | 14.3 |
| 7.1 | STEALS PG | 8.4 |
| 3.9 | BLOCKS PG | 4.6 |
Series Overview: Florida vs. Alabama
Alabama leads the all-time series against Florida with a 34-30 edge. The Gators entered Wednesday’s matchup aiming to snap a three-game skid against the Crimson Tide, a stretch that began on February 29, 2024 and continued through February 6, 2025.
Historical Matchups
Florida and Alabama have faced off 64 times since their first meeting in 1976. Of those:
- 28 games were played in Gainesville
- 24 took place in Tuscaloosa
- 12 were held at neutral sites, with Florida winning just two of those contests
Wednesday’s game marked the third meeting between the two programs during the 2024–25 season. As part of this year’s SEC schedule, Florida and Alabama were paired for both home and away matchups. Alabama claimed victory in both regular-season meetings: 79-69 on January 2, 2025 and 84-66 on February 6, 2025.
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 |
PROJECTED FLORIDA STARTERS:
The Gators punched their ticket to round two of the SEC Tournament with a 60-50 win over Auburn on Wednesday night. Four Florida players reached double figures in scoring, with Ra Shaya Kyle leading the way on both ends of the court. Kyle posted 16 points and 11 rebounds, recording her fourteenth double-double of the 2024–25 season while shooting a flawless 8-of-8 from the free throw line.
As a team, Florida shot 34.5% from the field (19-of-55) and converted 91% of their free throws (21-of-23). On the boards, the Gators edged Auburn 42-41, with six players collecting at least three rebounds.
PROJECTED ALABAMA STARTERS:
| Alabama | No. | Height | �Position | Class | Hometown/Previous School |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zaay Green | 14 | 2-Jun | G | Gr. | Duncanville, Tex./ Arkansas Pine Bluff |
| Sarah Ashlee Barker | 3 | 10-May | G | Gr. | Birmingham, Ala./ Spain Park HS |
| Aaliyah Nye | 32 | Jun-00 | G/F | Gr. | Huntsville, Ala./ Illinois |
| Karly Weathers | 22 | 11-May | G | Jr. | Loretto, Tenn./ Loretto HS |
| Essence Cody | 21 | 4-Jun | F | So. | Valdosta, Ga./ Valdosta HS |
Alabama’s Most Recent Performance
The Crimson Tide head into Greenville following a 91-84 road loss to No. 21 Oklahoma on Sunday, March 2. Zaay Green led the scoring effort with 27 points, while Sarah Ashlee Barker added 20. On the defensive end, Karly Weathers paced Alabama on the boards with 11 rebounds. As a team, the Tide collected 35 rebounds and recorded eight steals.
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