Florida Secures Seventh Consecutive Home Opener Victory With Five in Double Figures
GAINESVILLE, Fla.—Florida Women’s Basketball tipped off the 2025-26 campaign on Monday night with a commanding 96-62 win over North Florida. Preseason All-SEC Second Team honoree Liv McGill came close to her second career triple-double, finishing with 26 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 assists. She was one of five Gators to reach double digits in scoring.
Momentum Shifts
- 1st Quarter (Gators 18, Ospreys 12) North Florida grabbed an early 8-3 advantage just over three minutes in, but Florida’s defense locked in, holding the Ospreys scoreless for more than six minutes. The Gators responded with 13 straight points. Laila Reynolds paced all scorers in the period with 9.
- 2nd Quarter (Gators 47, Ospreys 27) Leading 29-20 with 7:28 left in the half, Florida strung together a decisive 14-0 run over the next four minutes. Liv McGill added 10 points in the frame.
- 3rd Quarter (Gators 79, Ospreys 46) Florida’s cushion never fell below 20. Freshman Caterina Piatti was perfect from the floor, hitting all five of her attempts and tallying 10 points.
- 4th Quarter (Gators 96, Ospreys 62) The Gators stretched their margin to as many as 42 points on two separate occasions before closing out the win.
Statistical Highlights
- Florida shot 53.8% from the field compared to North Florida’s 43.3%.
- The Gators won the rebounding battle 38-28, including a 13-8 edge on the offensive glass.
- Florida forced 31 turnovers, converting them into 44 points. North Florida managed 19 points off 17 Gator turnovers.
- In the paint, Florida outscored the Ospreys 56-32, added a 16-8 advantage in second-chance points, and dominated fast breaks 35-6.
Post Game Press Conference: Head Coach Kelly Rae Finley, Guard Liv McGill and Forward Me'Arah O'Neal
Game Notes
Florida has now opened its season with a win for the seventh consecutive year.
Under Head Coach Kelly Rae Finley, the Gators hold a 16-2 record in November home games.
The program improved to 9-0 all-time against North Florida, with every victory coming in Gainesville.
Liv McGill reached the 20-point mark for the 14th time in her career, finishing with 26. She narrowly missed her second career triple-double, falling just one rebound and one assist short.
Me'Arah O'Neal set a new personal best with 11 rebounds, adding 14 points for her second career double-double. Her previous high of 11 boards came at Missouri on January 12, 2025.
Laila Reynolds contributed 19 points, marking her 27th career game with double-digit scoring.
Freshman Caterina Piatti earned her first collegiate start and delivered 14 points, her first double-digit performance.
Fellow freshman Nyadeing Yiech came off the bench to add 10 points.
Next Opponent
Florida continues its homestand Thursday against Chattanooga in a doubleheader with the men’s team. The women’s game tips off at 5 p.m. ET at Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center, followed by the men’s matchup against North Florida at 8 p.m.
