GEORGE TOWN, Grand Cayman — Florida’s women’s basketball squad shook off a slow start on Saturday night to notch a 65-56 win over Georgia Tech in the Cayman Islands Classic finale, improving their season record to 8-1. Liv McGill once again stole the spotlight with her second straight 27-point performance, while Laila Reynolds chipped in 13 points.

Momentum Shifts

1st Quarter (Yellow Jackets 16, Gators 14)

Georgia Tech built a lead of up to five points twice in the opening period, but a traditional three-point play from Laila Reynolds trimmed the margin to two by the buzzer. The Yellow Jackets dominated the offensive boards with nine rebounds, giving them seven more shot attempts than Florida (22 vs. 15). Brianna Turnage and Savannah Samuel each tallied five points, helping five different Jackets score in the quarter.

2nd Quarter (Gators 28, Yellow Jackets 24)

Reynolds tied the game at 18 with a step-back jumper at the 8:28 mark, but both teams went cold for over three minutes. She broke the drought again with a mid-range shot at 5:05, sparking Florida to a six-point cushion before halftime. The Gators limited Georgia Tech to just 3-of-12 shooting and forced eight turnovers. The Jackets’ eight points marked the seventh time this season Florida has held an opponent under double digits in a quarter.

3rd Quarter (Gators 46, Yellow Jackets 32)

Georgia Tech scored first after the break, but Florida answered with an 18-6 run to seize a 14-point advantage heading into the final frame. McGill poured in 10 points during the quarter, while Caterina Piatti  added five. Once again, Georgia Tech was held to only eight points, the eighth time this season Florida has kept a foe below 10 in a period.

4th Quarter (Gators 65, Yellow Jackets 56)

Florida maintained a 52-38 lead before Georgia Tech strung together eight straight points to cut the margin to six. A jumper from Me'Arah O'Neal  halted the rally, and the Jackets never got closer. McGill closed strong with 11 points in the quarter, while Talayah Walker led Georgia Tech with seven.

By the Numbers

Florida shot 40.4% (23-57), compared to Georgia Tech’s 34.8% (24-69).

The Jackets failed to make a three-pointer, marking the 16th time since 1999-2000 that a Florida opponent has gone scoreless from deep. The last instance came on Dec. 29, 2024, when Alabama State missed all nine attempts.

Georgia Tech won the rebounding battle 46-37, including 22 offensive boards, converting them into a 20-4 edge in second-chance points.

Free throws: Jackets 8-of-13, Gators 15-of-19. McGill went 13-of-14, setting career highs in both makes and attempts.

Florida held Georgia Tech to eight points in both the second and third quarters.

From the Gators’ Mouths

Coming Soon …

GATOR BITES

• Florida now leads the all-time series with Georgia Tech, 2-1.
• McGill has scored in double figures in 10 straight games, with six outings of 20+ points this season and 19 in her career.
• McGill's 13 made free throws rank third in program history, trailing Ronni Williams (15, Vanderbilt, Jan. 29, 2017), Aliyah Matharu (14, Auburn, Mar. 3, 2024), and Terry Whitehead (14, Central Florida, Jan. 28, 1982).
• Florida has now held opponents under 10 points in a quarter eight times this season, including twice in this game.
• Laila Reynolds reached double figures for the seventh time this season and the 33rd time in her career.

Next Challenge

The Gators return to Gainesville for two days of practice before heading to Blacksburg, Va., on Thursday, Dec. 4 to face Virginia Tech. Tip-off is set for 5 p.m. EST, with coverage on ESPN2.