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The Florida Gators women’s basketball team faces the No. 20 Alabama Crimson Tide on Thursday night in the second round of the SEC Tournament at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, S.C. Tip-off is set for 8:30 p.m. on the SEC Network and ESPN 98.1-FM/850-AM WRUF.
How Did These Teams Get Here?
Florida (15-16, 5-11 SEC) advanced to the second round after a 60-50 victory againstAuburn on Wednesday night. Senior center Ra Shaya Kyle showed constancy, recording her 14th double-double of the season with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Senior guard Jeriah Warren added 14 points and sophomore guard Laila Reynolds had four blocks.
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No. 6 seed Alabama (23-7, 10-6) received a first-round bye and will be playing its first game of the tournament tonight. In the Crimson Tide’s last regular season outing on March 2, they fell to No. 21 Oklahoma, 91-84. Despite the loss, Alabama has been a formidable force this season. Their offense averages 78.9 points per game and their defense limits opponents to 62.7 points per game.
Thursday Night Matchup
The Gators will need to bring their defensive prowess to counter Alabama’s high-scoring offense. The Crimson Tide features four starters averaging double figures:
- Sarah Ashlee Barker (17.3 PPG)
- Zaay Green (15.8 PPG)
- Aaliyah Nye (15.1 PPG)
- Essence Cody (11.1 PPG)
Florida’s offense is led by freshman guard Liv McGill, who averages 16 points per game and has reached double figures in 28 of her 31 outings this season, including 11 games with 20 or more points. Kyle adds a strong inside presence with 14.7 points and 8.8 rebounds. We also see Warren average 11.8 points per game and Reynolds contribute 10.5 points per game.
Series Record
Alabama leads the all-time series against Florida, 34-30. The teams have met twice this season, with the Crimson Tide winning both encounters. On January 2, Alabama secured a 79-69 victory at home, and on February 6, they defeated the Gators 84-66 in Gainesville. Florida’s last win over Alabama came on February 23, 2023, with an 81-77 victory in the O’Connell Center.
