GAINESVILLE, Fla.— Florida dropped its seventh Southeastern Conference game on Thursday night, concluding with an 84-66 defeat to No. 23 Alabama. The Gators remained competitive throughout the matchup, with three players reaching double-digit scoring.

Freshman Liv McGill paced the offense, marking her eleventh game leading the team and notching 22 points—her tenth performance this season with 20 or more. Ra Shaya Kyle contributed 15 points, while Laila Reynolds added 14. On the defensive end, Jeriah Warren led Florida for the second time this season, pulling down 10 rebounds.

What Took Place:

First Quarter Highlights

• McGill led in scoring with six of UF's 17 points
• Florida went 8-17 from the field to shoot 47.1 percent
• 10 of Florida's points were tallied inside the paint
• The Gators distributed four assists-- McGill accounting for two
• Warren and Kyle led on the boards, securing three rebounds each
• Florida and Alabama were knotted at 17-17 to conclude the first period

Second Quarter Breakdown

• McGill led on the boards with four of Florida's 15 rebounds
• The game was tied half way through the period at 22-22 (4:48)
• Florida recorded a game low 10 points and was held to 4-23 from the field (17.4%)
• Eight of UF's points in the period were off Alabama turnovers
• The Gators forced a game high five turnovers on the Crimson Tide
• Florida trailed by five heading into the half (32-27)

Third Quarter Highlights

• Florida posted a game high 23 points—14 came from inside the paint
• McGill led in scoring with 10 points, shooting 4-6 from the field and 2-2 from the free throw line
• The Gators shot 53.3 percent from the field (8-15), their best of the game
• Alabama took its largest lead of the game so far with an 11-point margin (55-44)
• UF's eight rebounds were grabbed across four players

Fourth Quarter Recap

• UF shot 100 percent from the free throw line (5-5)
• Florida forced four turnovers on the Crimson Tide—their most of the half
• Seven of Florida's 16 points were off second chances
• Reynolds, Warren, and McGill all grabbed two rebounds, contributing to UF's 11
• The Gators out-rebounded Alabama 11-8

Key Stats and Notes

• The Gators set a season high in free throw shooting at 85.7 percent (12-14)
• Florida out-rebounded Alabama 44-38
• UF and Alabama were tied seven times during Thursday's contest
• The Gators shot 33.3 percent from the field (25-75)
• 36 of Florida's 66 points were tallied inside the paint
• Florida forced 14 turnovers on the Crimson Tide
• 18 of UF's total points were off rebounds
• The Gators saw the free throw line a combined 14 times, converting for 12 points
• UF had three players in double digits for scoring
• McGill (22), Kyle (15), Reynolds (14), Warren
• McGill has hit double figures in 22 of her 24 outings as a Gator
• 10 of those games have been 20+ point outings
• Reynolds recorded her fifth consecutive game with 10+ points
• Reynolds has hit double digits in scoring for 13 of her outings this season
• McGill tallied 6 assists and has now led UF in ball distribution 18 times this season
• Four Gators contributed to UF's 13 assists 
• Warren led in rebounding with 10
• Warren has led UF on the boards three times in 2024-25 and seven times at UF
• Six Gators tallied two or more rebounds
• Warren (10), Kyle (7), McGill (6), Reynolds (5), Salgues (3), Gassett (2)
• The Gators have secured 20+ points in 46 of 98 quarters played this season
• UF made 17 layups in 28 driving attempts (61%)
• Florida recorded a game total 73 possessions, converting for 0.9 points per possession
  

Gator Bites: Reflections from Coach Finley and Freshman McGill

Head Coach Kelly Rae Finley shared her thoughts on Laila Reynolds’ rapid development, noting: "I was talking to Laila yesterday and it dawned on me, I went in my calendar and looked and I was like wow, minus the holiday break, she's really only been playing for eight weeks. The amount of improvement that she's had in eight weeks is unmatched. I don't think I could be more pleased with where she's at, but she's a competitor, relentless in her worth ethic, and she's earned the opportunity to go out there and play that way. It's what we expect from her every night. She's only going to improve."

Freshman Liv McGill reflected on her experience in SEC competition: "I am always taking notes on my opponents and my teammates. That's just what I'm always doing in the back of my head you know, during the game and after watching film. They are good players, and I'm trying to be the best, and I want to take notes so I can try to be the best. You've got to compete every night. It doesn't matter what their ranking is, what their ranking is, it's the SEC. Everybody's trying to get a win, so you can never come into the game slacking no matter who it is."

TEAM RECORDS:
Florida: (12-12, 3-7 SEC)
Alabama: (19-5, 6-4 SEC)

Series Snapshot

Florida trails Alabama in their historical head-to-head, with the Crimson Tide leading the all-time series 34-30.

Looking Ahead

The Gators will face No. 2 South Carolina in their next Southeastern Conference matchup on Thursday, Feb. 13. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET at Colonial Life Arena, with coverage airing on SECN.

NEXT UP: at No. 2 South Carolina (22-1, 10-0 SEC)

• Date: Thurs., Feb. 13
• Time: 7 p.m. ET
• Site:  Colonial Life Arena
• Radio: ESPN Gainesville 98.1 FM / 850 AM
• Watch: SECN
• Live stats: Statbroadcast