Jeriah Warren posts a career high 28 points in UF's first round of the WBIT.
Gainesville, Fla. — The Gators are moving forward in the Women's Basketball Invitation Tournament (WBIT) after securing an 83–71 victory over Northern Iowa on Thursday night. Florida saw four players score in double figures and used a strong final quarter to pull away from the Panthers. The team now awaits the outcome of the Hawaii vs. UNLV matchup to determine their next opponent.
Jeriah Warren led the scoring effort with a career-high 28 points, shooting 10-of-16 from the field and 4-of-8 from three-point range. Supporting her were Alexia Gassett (13 points), Ra Shaya Kyle (12), and Laila Reynolds(11).
On defense,
Me'Arah O'Neal and Kyle each grabbed seven rebounds, helping Florida dominate the boards with a 40–30 advantage. The Gators also forced 19 turnovers from UNI, converting those into key scoring opportunities.
Florida’s 2025 Postseason Highlights
- Reached the second round of the WBIT for the first time in program history
- Improved to 3–1 in 2025 postseason play
- Elevated their overall season record to 17–17
- Now hold a 1–1 all-time record in WBIT competition
Game Breakdown: Florida vs. Northern Iowa
🔹 First Quarter Highlights

Florida controlled the pace early, holding the lead for
8 minutes and 57 seconds of the opening frame. The Gators scored
24 points, shooting
50% from the field (9-of-18). They capitalized on transition play with
11 fastbreak points and dominated inside with
16 points in the paint, converting
8-of-9 layup attempts. On the boards,
Laila Reynolds led with
three rebounds, helping Florida close the quarter ahead
24–17.
🔹 Second Quarter Summary
Offensive momentum slowed as Florida was limited to 14 points, shooting a game-low 38.5%. Jeriah Warren led the scoring with seven points, while Me'Arah O'Neal grabbed three rebounds. McGill contributed two assists, leading Florida’s ball movement. UNI took its first lead at 32–31 (3:14), and the half ended in a 38–38 tie.
🔹 Third Quarter Surge
Florida opened the second half with a quick seven-point burst in under two minutes. The team shot a game-best 58.8% (10-of-17) and scored 16 of their 23 points in the paint. Warren added nine points, going 4-of-5 from the field and 1-of-2 from deep. Reynolds and McGill each dished out three assists, contributing to a period-high eight team assists. Florida led 61–58 heading into the fourth.
🔹 Fourth Quarter Finish
The Gators closed strong with 22 points, shooting 44.4% (8-of-18). They added 10 points in the paint and seven second-chance points. Warren led both ends with eight points and four rebounds, while Gassett recorded a career-high four assists. Florida went 4-of-5 from the free throw line (80%), and McGill notched the team’s only steal of the quarter.
Key Stats & Milestones
- UF had four players in double figures for scoring
- Warren (28), Gassett (13), Kyle (12), and Reynolds (10)
- Gassett tied her career high in scoring with 13 points
- McGill has hit double figures in 31 of her 34 outings as a Gator
- 12 of those games have been 20+ point performances
- The Gators outscored UNI in three of the and four quarters
- (Q1) 24-17, (Q3) 23-20, (Q4) 22-13
- In total UF went 13-15 (86.7%) from the charity stripe
- Four Gators shot a perfect 100 percent from the free throw line
- Warren (4-4), Reynolds (3-3), O'Neal (2-2), and Gassett (1-1)
- 46 of UF's points were tallied inside the paint
- Florida forced 19 turnovers on UNI to convert for 20 points
- 20 of UF's points were credited to the bench
- The Gators posted 16 points off fastbreaks and 17 from second chances
- The Gators out-rebounded the Panthers 40-30
- Kyle and O'Neal led Florida on the boards with seven rebounds each
- Florida distributed a combined 20 assists
- McGill led in distribution with six, followed by Reynolds with five
- McGill has now led in assist distribution 26 times this season
- The Gators have secured 20+ points in 57 of 138 quarters played this season
- UF secured 19 layups in 27 driving attempts (70%)
- Florida recorded a game total 76 possessions, converting for 1.09 points per possession
- In total UF led UNI for 34 minutes and 28 seconds
CAREER HIGHS:
| Paige Clausen | ||
| Rebounds | 3 | vs UNI 03/20/25 |
| Alexia Gassett | ||
| Assists | 4 | vs UNI 03/20/25 |
| FG Attempts | 11 | vs UNI 03/20/25 |
| Jeriah Warren | ||
| Points | 28 | vs UNI 03/20/25 |
| FG Made | 10 | vs UNI 03/20/25 |
Florida’s Momentum Builds with WBIT Opening Win
Head Coach Kelly Rae Finley praised the team’s cohesion and highlighted Me'Arah O'Neal's development during high-pressure moments.
"Jeriah and Shay had good chemistry offensively and defensively as well, so that was huge. I thought Me'Arah played huge minutes and dominated on both ends of the floor. It's something that she's growing in, and just understanding the gravity of a two-point game with four minutes to go. These minutes are huge minutes, whether it's one possession or 10, that one can make a difference."
Finley’s remarks underscore the growing leadership and poise within Florida’s roster as they advance deeper into postseason play.
TEAM RECORDS:
Florida: 17-17, (6-12 SEC)
UNI: 17-17, (11-9 MVC)
SERIES RECORD:
The Gators and the Panthers have now met twice, with UF securing wins in both meetings to put the all-time record at 2-0.
Next Up: Gators Await Second-Round Opponent
Florida is moving on to round two of the Women's Basketball Invitation Tournament (WBIT), with their next game scheduled for Sunday afternoon. The Gators will face the winner of the upcoming matchup between No. 2 seed UNLV and Hawaii, set to tip off Thursday at 9:30 p.m. ET inside Cox Pavilion.
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