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The Florida Gators opened the 2024-25 season with an 82-54 win over Florida Atlantic. The Gators utilized a big first quarter to cruise to the victory. The inside-out combination of Ra Shaya Kyle and Liv McGill proved to be more than the Owls could handle.

The Gators got on the board early and often by going inside to the senior center, Kyle, who scored the first six points. That was followed by the former five-star guard McGill, Florida’s highest-rated signee ever, draining a deep three for her first collegiate basket. The Gators expanded their lead to 15-8 at the first media timeout after treys by seniors Kenza Salgues and Jeriah Warren. The teams mostly traded buckets through the end of the first period with the Gators extending the lead to as many as 13 after a pair of made free throws by McGill.

The second quarter saw Florida maintain, and even build on the lead it forged in the opening ten minutes of play. Florida never saw it’s lead evaporate to less than ten but by half, the Gators led FAU 46-29. With 4:31 left in the half, another Florida freshman, Me’Arah O’Neal entered the scoring column with a deep three off the left side of the arc. Alexia Dizeko finished the half with her own four-point run, to send the Gators into half with all the momentum.

The third quarter saw the Gators continue to expand their advantage over the Owls, quickly extending the lead to into the twenties before FAU appeared to settle into the second half of play. Warren came to life in the third, scoring ten of Florida’s 15 points in the period. Overall, the Gators shot just 4-15 from the field in the third but held the Owls to just 33% from the field on the defensive end.

The fourth quarter saw the Gators continue to ice the game and the large lead allowed Florida to empty the bench to get experience for the younger players on the team.

In total, Florida finished with a 19-8 assist to turnover ratio, and McGill finished with six assists and no turnovers.

Warren led all scorers with 21 points while Kyle added 17 points and six rebounds. McGill added 14 points, five rebounds and six total assists.

“I thought she had an overall very good floor game…Overall, [I was] really pleased with her game tonight,” said head coach Kelly Rae Finley of McGill’s debut.

The Gators will face Florida A&M Thursday. Tipoff is slated for 5:00 PM. The game will be part of a double-header with the men’s game against Jacksonville.