GEORGE TOWN, Grand Cayman — Florida’s women’s basketball squad leaned on relentless defense and a combined 51 points from sophomore forward Me'Arah O'Neal (24 points, nine rebounds) and sophomore guard Liv McGill (27 points, six rebounds) to move to 7-1 on the season with a 74-60 victory over Memphis. The Gators limited the Tigers to just 31.1 percent shooting and held Memphis’ top scorer, Chaé Harris, to five points—well below her average of 18.3 coming into the matchup.
Key Runs
1st Quarter (Gators 18, Tigers 10)
Florida opened strong, scoring 10 of the first 14 points. O’Neal contributed five early, while freshman forward Caterina Piatti added four. Memphis briefly cut the margin to one at 10-9, but the Gators closed the quarter with an 8-1 spurt to lead by eight. McGill Florida’s leading scorer entering the contest, caught fire late and finished the quarter with six points. Memphis managed only three field goals in 16 attempts.
2nd Quarter (Gators 31, Tigers 20)
The Gators maintained control, keeping their lead between eight and 10 points until O’Neal’s layup pushed the margin to 28-16. O'Neal, McGill, and Alexia Dizeko each tallied four points in the frame. Memphis’ Cori Allen paced all scorers in the quarter with six.
3rd Quarter (Gators 52, Tigers 39)
Florida’s advantage stayed in double digits throughout. A 6-0 burst midway through widened the gap to 18 at 49-31. O’Neal scored 10 and McGill added nine in the quarter, matching Memphis’ total output.
4th Quarter (Gators 74, Tigers 60)
The Gators stretched their lead to as many as 19, and Memphis never got closer than 12. McGill and Daejah Richmond each scored eight in the final period. Florida shot its best percentage of the night here, hitting nine of 15 attempts.
Key Stats
- Florida shot 41.8% (28-67), while Memphis managed 31.1% (19-61).
- The Gators won the rebounding battle 51-37, including 18-13 on the offensive glass.
- Florida dominated inside, outscoring Memphis 44-26 in the paint.
- Memphis converted 20 of 28 free throws; Florida went 17 of 22.
From the Gators’ Mouths Coach Finley on the Grand Cayman Classic: "I just want to say 'thank you guys for having us.' This tournament has been excellent. Grand Cayman has hosted us exceptionally well. We're grateful to be here, and really appreciative to everybody who came out." Coach Finley on the climate: "There was some humidity in the gym, but that's okay, we're from Florida, so it's not too different. We're used to the heat and the humidity." Coach Finley on the game: "I loved it. I think that Memphis is a really good basketball team. They're scrappy. They're tough. They play hard. Alex is a tremendous head coach, We knew that tonight was going to be a challenge. I'm really proud of how we rose to the occasion. We train to be able to adapt, and I thought that really showed tonight."
Gator Bites
- Florida now leads the all-time series with Memphis 2-1.
- Liv McGill has scored in double figures in nine straight games (27 points), with five outings of 20+ this season and 18 overall in her career.
- Me'Arah O'Neal has posted double figures in eight consecutive games this season and 10 in her career (24 points, nine rebounds), narrowly missing her fifth double-double.
- Alexia Dizeko set career highs with seven rebounds and tied her best mark with five assists.
Next Opponent
Florida faces Georgia Tech in its second and final game of the Grand Cayman Classic on Saturday, Nov. 29 at 5 p.m. EST.
