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  • LAX: Gators Open 2025 With Road Test at Johns Hopkins

    LAX: Gators Open 2025 With Road Test at Johns Hopkins

    Following a surprise run to the Final Four a year ago, Florida opens the 2025 season with a massive target on their back. The Gators are ranked No. 5 in the preseason IL Women media poll and were picked to finish first in the Big XII

    The journey begins Friday in Baltimore against Johns Hopkins, a team Florida hasn’t faced since NCAA regionals in 2019 (a 16-9 Gators victory). The game is set for an 11:00 AM draw and will be livestreamed from the JHU athletics website.

    The 2025 squad will look very different from the team that topped the nation in scoring a year ago. Florida lost 76% of all goals scored and 79% of all points produced. In total, only four starters return this year.

    Florida will be looking to a collective effort to make up for the lost productivity. Incoming transfer Jordan Basso is a fifth year transfer from Gettysburg College (Division III) who has registered 360 points including 228 goals. Gianna Monaco and Josie Hahn are Florida’s returning scoring leaders. The Gators also added top-25 prospect Clark Hamilton with the signing class. Freshman midfielder Gabby Greene is expected to log key minutes as well.

    The defensive side of the field sees the return of juniors Theresa Bragg (D) and Kaitlyn Davies (MF). Both players have garnered numerous preseason accolades including:

    •All Big XII preseason selection (both)

    •Big XII preseason Midfielder of the Year  (Davies)

    •Big XII preseason Defender of the Year (Bragg)

    •Nike Lacrosse 3rd Team All-American (Bragg)

    •Named to the Tewaaraton Watch List (both)

    In goal, Florida will rely on veteran goalkeeper Elyse Finnelle, who went 9-3 with a .529 save percentage. Finnelle earned many preseason honors, as well, including, All-American honorable mention. The Gators have also added former star keeper, Haley Hicklen to the coaching staff.

    Florida head coach Amanda O’Leary has accumulated 402 wins and was inducted into the Montgomery County (PA) Coaches Hall of Fame during the off-season.

    The Gators will return to Gainesville to face Kennesaw State Sunday at Disney Stadium. Florida hasn’t faced the Owls since 2022 but are 3-0 all-time head-to-head.

  • SB: Gators Run-Rule UNF to Open 2025 Campaign

    SB: Gators Run-Rule UNF to Open 2025 Campaign

    Photo by Benjamin Fox • ChompTalk

    It took the Florida Gators just four and one-half innings to claim their first win of the 2025 softball season. The Gators defeated the North Florida Ospreys 8-0 in a run-rule victory to open the 2025 season in front of 1,538 fans at Pressly Stadium.

    Florida’s offense was limited to just four hits on the day, but the Gators made the most of those hits as three of them left the yard.

    After a three up, three down first inning for Florida starter Keegan Rothrock (1-0), the offense plated a pair of runs on a Korbe Otis home run to left center on a 2-1 pitch.

    The Gators added three more runs in the second inning as freshman Taylor Shumaker hit a shot to left-center that plated Mia Williams and Rylie Holtorf ahead of her. Shumaker became the first Florida freshman to homer on opening night since 2005 (Savana Kelly).  “I didn’t even really know it was over (the fence) until I rounded second base, then I kinda saw nobody was doing anything,” Shumaker said after the game.

    Kendra Falby led off the fourth inning reaching base on an error and moved to third base rather effortlessly. A wild pitch allowed Falby to score easily to put Florida on top, 6-0. Reagan Walsh joined the homer party with a moonshot over the batter’s eye in center. After the game, Walsh described what she was looking for during the at-bat, “I was really looking for a pitch I could drive over the plate and not going for her nasty change up.” The two run blast put the game in run-rule territory with just three outs standing between Florida and a season opening win.

    Sophomore pitcher Keagan Rothrock tossed the first four innings for the Gators, throwing an efficient 48 total pitches. She ran into a little trouble when the Ospreys collected a pair of hits to lead off the second inning. Despite both runners reaching scoring position, Rothrock ended the threat with a strikeout and no damage on the scoreboard.

    The two hits in the second were all UNF could muster up for the entire game.

    Fellow sophomore Ava Brown retired the side with a pair of strikeouts to end the game.

    The Gators will travel to Tampa for the USF-Rawlings Invitational beginning Friday. Over the weekend, Florida will play five games. The Gators will face Illinois State, Delaware, Michigan, Georgia Southern, and USF as part of the tournament.

  • WBB: No. 23 Alabama Tops Florida with 3-point Surge, 84-66

    WBB: No. 23 Alabama Tops Florida with 3-point Surge, 84-66

    Photo by Stew Milne • Getty Images

    Florida lost to No.23 Alabama Thursday night in the O’Dome. After a physical battle, the Crimson Tide prevailed thanks to Aaliyah Nye’s 3-point expertise. 

    Alabama wasted no time before enforcing a full-court press. The pressure led to a few turnovers for Florida, as the Crimson Tide went on a 6-0 run. 

    However, the Gators responded with defensive stops and quick rebounds. Florida pushed the pace with several fast break layups, keeping the game close.

    Essence Cody was a presence down low for the Crimson Tide and scored ten first-quarter points, shooting perfectly from the field.

    The score was tied at 17 after one.

    Both teams slowed down offensively throughout the second. Florida only shot 17% from the field but held Alabama to limited shot attempts. 

    The physicality throughout the first half took a toll on each team, keeping the game low-scoring. 

    The Crimson Tide led at halftime, 32-27.

    Nye caught fire from deep to start the second half, sinking three triples in the first five minutes. 

    Laila Reynolds responded with crafty playmaking leading a 7-0 run for Florida.

    Florida Head Coach Kelly Rae Finley is impressed with the improvements Reynolds has made since the new year began.

    “The amount of improvement she’s had in eight weeks is unmatched. She’s relentless in her work ethic, and she’s earned the opportunity to go out there and play that way,” said Finley. “It’s what we expect from her every night.”

    Another Gator that led the way tonight for Florida was Liv McGill. McGill recorded her tenth 20-point game this season, scoring 22.

    The freshman has learned a lot from conference play and is hungry for more wins.

    “You have to compete every night. It doesn’t matter what their ranking is or what their record is,” said McGill. “It’s the SEC and everybody is trying to get a win. You can never come into the game slacking, no matter who the opponent is.”

    Alabama led after three, 56-50.

    The Crimson Tide shot nearly 80% from the field in the fourth quarter, keeping the Gators at bay. Alabama orchestrated a 10-0 run, giving them a fifteen-point lead.

    Nye didn’t slow down late in the game, draining more daggers from long-range. She made 9-of-12 3-pointers all night, scoring 27.

    “I kept getting my shots up, staying consistent and found ways for my teammates to get me the ball,” said Nye.

    Florida didn’t hit a field goal in the final 2:39, resulting in Alabama’s second victory over the Gators this season, 84-66.

    Florida heads to Columbia for its next matchup against No.2 South Carolina on February 13. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. and can be viewed on SECN.

  • Gators Softball Preview

    Gators Softball Preview

    Photo by Brian Fox • ChompTalk

    The Florida Gators softball team opens its season Thursday at home in Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium against the North Florida Ospreys. UF earned top-three rankings in all four major preseason polls. 

    This past season, the Gators finished 54-15 and won 17 conference games, including the SEC title. The then No. 4-seeded Gators also appeared in the Women’s College World Series last season and lost to No. 2-seeded Oklahoma in the semifinals. 

    Coming out of the offseason, Florida took the top spot in both the Softball America and D1 Softball polls. ESPN and USA Softball gave the Gators a No. 2 ranking. Their lowest ranking was behind SEC foes No. 1 Texas and No. 2 Oklahoma in the NFCA Coaches Poll. 

    As they embark on their 2025 season, they won’t let the preseason hype from the media get to their heads, Florida head coach Tim Walton said. 

    “I always called it the ghost of expectations, the fear of the unknown,” Walton said. “When you’re comparing yourself to what you were as opposed to what yourself is, I think I’m excited to see how our players handle some of the hype.” 

    UF will rely on its top returning players and its new freshmen, who will make their collegiate debuts on Thursday. The Gators’ five key returning players were also part of the All-SEC Preseason Team Selections. These players include sophomore right-handed pitcher Keagan Rothrock, junior catcher Jocelyn Erickson, star senior outfielders Korbe Otis and Kendra Falby, and infielder Reagan Walsh. 

    “Last year is gonna stay in the past,” Otis said. “And I’m just trying to work on what I’m doing in this next moment to get better.”

    All five are also on the watch list for USA Softball’s Collegiate Player of the Year. If Florida wants to claim its first National Championship since 2015, these players must play hard and be consistent in making another run in the Women’s College World Series. 

    With the lead veterans on the team, some impressive, fresh faces have joined. All five players made the D1 freshman watchlist: infielder Gabi Comia, outfielder Taylor Shumaker, right-handed pitcher Katlynn Oxley, infielder Layla Lamar, and outfielder Towsen Thomas. 

    All who had prominent success in their high school careers, Thomas spent her summer with Team USA, where she led the team to a first-place finish at the U-18 World Cup. She was also ranked the No. 1 commit in the Class of 2024 by Extra Inning Softball. 

    However, Shumaker will be the only freshman named as a starter for the beginning of the season. She will be guided by veteran outfielders Otis and Falby on her team as she progresses in her development. 

    “Having the two of them out there with as much experience as they have and as many games they have underneath their belt has been really helpful,” Shumaker said.

    UF is set to deal first at 6 p.m. Thursday. Catch live coverage of the game on SEC Network. 

  • WBB: Gators Dominate Razorbacks On the Road, 108-78

    WBB: Gators Dominate Razorbacks On the Road, 108-78

    Photo by Matt Kelley • Getty Images

    Florida is back in the win column with a well-rounded victory against Arkansas. The Gators had five players score double-digits, with Liv McGill and Me’Arah O’Neal leading the way.

    Heading into this game, both squads were 2-and-6 in conference play. Florida broke its 4-game losing streak, improving to 12-11 on the season. 

    “We were really locked into the game and very selfless in our style of play. But that’s who we really are and how we like to play Gator basketball,” said Florida Head Coach Kelly Rae Finley.

    The Gators got off to a quick start and went on a 10-0 run a minute into the game. 

    O’Neal was back in action and wasted no time. The freshman hit two threes in the opening quarter and Florida shot 4-for-4 from beyond the arc. 

    Izzy Higginbottom emerged in the first with nine points. The lifelong Razorback averages 23.6 points per game, leading the SEC and is top-five in D1 women’s basketball. 

    The Gators took a double-digit lead after one, 28-16.

    Florida’s defense contained Arkansas in the second, holding them to 26% shooting from the field and 14% from deep.

    The Razorbacks only saving grace was drawing fouls. Arkansas shot 9-for-15 from the charity stripe, while the Gators didn’t take a single free throw all half. 

    Florida was ahead at halftime, 54-32.

    The Gators put its foot on the gas in the second half.

    Florida’s freshman duo orchestrated a 7-0 run halfway through the third, keeping the momentum from swinging. 

    O’Neal provided energizing buckets the whole game, scoring 19, her career-high. 

    McGill and Ra Shaya Kyle each recorded a double-double thanks to their dominance of the paint and court vision.

    “She had a heck of a game and I really challenged her—Liv is a competitor and she really wants to win,” said Finley. “We watched film the other day and her improvement in her angles and her understanding of where the ball needs to go and when has been tremendous.”

    Jeriah Warren hit a buzzer-beater three to end the third, contributing to Florida’s 13 triples on the night, a season-high. 

    Higginbottom hit her career-high late in the fourth quarter at 40, however, it was too late to catch the Gators.

    Florida cruised to a 30-point victory, 108-78, scoring the most points in SEC play in program history. 

    The Gators will ride the momentum into Thursday’s matchup against No.18 Alabama.

    Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. in the O’Dome and can be streamed on SECN.

  • WGYM Liveblog: No. 2 Florida & No. 4 Utah at West Virginia

    WGYM Liveblog: No. 2 Florida & No. 4 Utah at West Virginia

    It’s a rare occurrence when we get a Sunday matinee tri-meet as Gator fans, but we should take every chance we can get vs. teams outside the SEC this year, especially now with a ninth team in the conference. Florida did Florida things last week and cruised to a win against Georgia, who do look much improved from years past if still not quite a threat, but this week’s opponent will be a different story.

    While this is only Florida’s fourth meet of the season, it will be Utah’s sixth – the Utes started their season a week earlier and have already had one double-meet weekend, so they’ve had several more competition outings under the belt this season than the Gators have. While they put together a dominant performance at the Best of Utah meet two weeks ago, the rest of their season so far has been a bit below what we typically expect of the frequent title contenders: three of their five scores so far this season have been sub-197, and it seems that floor is the problem child, only scoring above 49.3 once since the year started. Vault isn’t much better, only reaching that mark two out of five meets so far, and starting the year below 49.0. If Florida’s vault squad keeps doing what it’s been doing, the Utes will have a hard time matching that energy. The strongest athletes to watch for are Makenna Smith and Grace McCallum on all four, Ashley Glynn on VT, and Camie Winger on BB/FX.

    West Virginia has had a tough time of it so far this season, and really in the last several years. What once was a regional-guaranteed team has turned into more of a bubble contender, and at No. 53 currently, the Mountaineers are not looking great for this season. Their highest score so far this season is a 194.1 last week at Denver, which is miles below what you should expect to see from Utah and Florida. Floor is more of a highlight for them, where it’s a weak spot for the other two teams in this meet, but they’re still not breaking 49.0 on any event totals. Athletes to watch include Anna Leigh on UB/FX, Amber Lowe on BB/FX, and Trinity Macy on UB. Also of note: though injured, Florida’s Kayla DiCello may travel for this meet, as her sister Karleigh competes for the Mountaineers – watch for her on VT/BB.

    In terms of what to expect of the Gators today, we’re looking for another step forward from last week. It may not be a higher score (which is fine – last week’s 198 was frankly a little high for what we saw), but a high 197 and a win will be ideal. We want to see things on bars and floor continue to even out – no unusual mistakes, no overarched handstands, no out-of-bounds or out-of-control passes. I think we’re also hoping to start seeing landing improvements, considering it is February now technically, so smaller hops or sticks on vaults, sticks on bars and beam, and well-controlled tumbling on floor. As far as specific athletes, I’m watching Victoria Nguyen, who had some issues on floor last week, as well as Leanne Wong – our CEO needs a break, I am begging at this point. She has been training nonstop for years and rarely taking time off from AA, I think she needs a week to reset. It may not be this week, since Utah can certainly give Florida a run for its money even at full strength, but hopefully soon. I’m also watching Skylar Draser: she was an excellent leadoff on most events last season, very consistent and dependable, but has dropped back to only beam so far this year. I’d love to see her return to more lineups and bring that same rock-solid feeling to the start of the lineups.

    It all starts at 2pm on ESPN+, but if you don’t have access, we’ll have everything for you right here, play by play. Live scores will be here once competition starts.

    WordPress won’t let me embed tweets anymore, but my colleague at Alligator Army, Dr. Sam, is at the meet in person, and apparently Wong did not do a dance-through on floor in warmups. Maybe this will be her rest week?? It’d be good for her, I know it would. I trust Rowland’s timing, if she says now then I’m glad it’s now.

    Hearing we are starting on bars, WVU on vault, and Utah on floor? Will see if that’s what happens. According to Balance Beam Situation, Florida needs a 197.4 to stay ahead of LSU in weekly rankings.

    2:08pm: Blakely Sr, UF UB: Maloney to pak, pretty clean. Nice and patient with her handstand work. Great blind change. Double front is stuck! Great start.

    Glynn, UU FX: Great choreo showcasing her flexibility here. 1.5 to front lay, very well controlled. I didn’t see her opening pass but definitely a hit.

    Pilgrim, UB: Great opening handstand. Pak to great low bar handstand work. van Leeuwen is a little labored for her? Great final handstand, full in is stuck! So clutch.

    Tuohy, WVU VT: Yfull, little piked down, little step back.

    Zirbes, FX: Front double full to start, super clean twisting form. Random double stag jump in the middle of her choreo, okay. Actual dance series is very nice. Combo pass is clean too.

    McCusker, UB: Maloeny to pak, legs just pasted together. van Leeuwen FLOATS. Gorgeous. DLO is better than last week – stuck!! Yes!

    Lane, VT: Yfull, okay body position, big bounce back.

    Nelson, VT: Yfull, some leg sep, flexed feet, over the line on her left side. Slide back.

    Blakely Jr., UB: Ricna to pak, gorgeous. Fantastic final handstand, pirouette a little late. Double front half out, little step. Still, looks good.

    Winger, FX: Dance series is excellent, great extension. Back 2.5 twist to close out – looked like it was OOB, pretty uncontrolled.

    2:15pm: Wong, UB: Maloney to pak, pretty clean. hard to see the van Leeuwen from here but looked fine. DLO stuck!

    Looked like Rice stuck her vault? Nice exhibition Yfull from Emerson, too.

    Smith, FX: Front double full, a little off axis maybe? Dance series is excellent. Some random back tumbling in her choreo. Rudi to loso floats nicely – should be a good score from her.

    Harris-Miranda, UB: Ray is solid, bail is clean. DLO was gorgeous and stuck!

    Arana, UB exh: Maloney to pak – pretty clean! Little bounce on her dismount. Love to see her ready to jump in if needed.

    Gilstrap, FX: Front lay to Rudi to open, pretty clean. Random loso in the middle of choreo, but really gorgeous choreo overall, very artistic to Piano Man from Billy Joel. 1.5 to front lay, very clean.

    McCallum, FX: Full in, I’m glad she’s switched to the tuck, it’s a much prettier position for her. Front through to double tuck, very well controlled. Double wolf turn, pretty clean. Switch leap to tour jete half, some flexed feet and one leg low on the second element.

    We’re apparently not seeing the exhibition routine from Utah floor, soooo….

    AFTER ONE: UF 49.525, UU 49.375, WVU 48.575

    2:33pm: Zirbes, UU VT: Y1.5, super clean, not great distance but very small landing adjustment.

    Draser, UF BB: Bhs loso, super steady. Switch to switch half, looked a little tight maybe? Full turn is clean. Sticks her dismount!

    Alban just hit bars in the leadoff spot for WVU!

    McCallum, VT: Y1.5, big knee bend in the air, big lunge forward. Not her best.

    Gilstrap, VT: Yfull, just a little bounce in place.

    McDonnell, UB: Release clean, bail a little floppy. DLO a little bouncy but just in place, a little loss of balance maybe?

    Blakely Sr, BB: Front aerial bhs, maybe a little slow? Should still get credit. Split leap switch half beat jump, super quick. Gainer full off the side is stuck!

    Smith, VT: Yhalf-on, pike off – looked stuck maybe? She celebrates like it is.

    Leigh, UB: Straddle Jaeger to pak, good amplitude. Hate the switch kip on the low bar but it’s legal. DLO stuck!

    Pilgrim, BB: Candle mount, gorgeous. Series is dead on. Full turn is clean. Cat leap to front aerial, so steady. Switch leap to split leap, great extension. Bhs gainer full off the side, stuck!

    Glynn, VT: Y1.5, little cross step back and over the line. Definitely underrotated.

    Lowe, UB: Piked Jaeger, great amplitude but almost ends up in a dead hang? Transition to low is fine, kip half is obnoxious but whatever. Double tuck is very cowboyed but stuck.

    Nguyen, BB: Onodi to bhs, well connected. Full turn, nice. Switch to split jump, little bobble. Bhs 1.5 twist, little step forward. Not her best, but serviceable.

    Macy, UB: Piked Jaeger to overshoot, gorgeous, good connection and good control. DLO stuck!

    Lane, UB: Weird beginning switching to mixed grip for her release to overshoot, felt a little wild. DLO, pinged off a little early, bounced back.

    2:45pm: Wong, BB: The mount is gone! Honestly, that’s for the best. Switch to split leap, gorgeous. Front aerial to sissone, nice and steady. Bhs loso, looked like she was off axis but fixed it midair, did not show any signs of issue upon landing. Full turn is clean. Gainer tuck full off the end, little bounce back.

    Harris-Miranda, BB: Bhs loso bhs, absolutely rock solid! Switch to split, great toe point and split positions. Front toss, leg up bobble but saves it somehow!! Roundoff 1.5, little stutter step back. Still, they’ll have a fine rotation total without it.

    I’m a little mad that we’re getting an interview with WVU’s HC instead of seeing McCusker exhibitioning beam, but hopefully Sam will have a video for us later.

    AFTER TWO: UF 98.6, UU 98.6, WVU 97.25

    I did say it was going to be close, but I didn’t expect it to be this close! Florida does have its best event yet to go though in vault, so we’ll see how the second half of the meet goes here. West Virginia is potentially on track for its highest total of the season so far, too, so that’s exciting to see! Talk about rising to the occasion.

    3:00pm: Nguyen, UF FX: Front double full to sissone, MUCH better this week. This choreo is cinredible. Dance series is gorgeous, great 180 positions. 1.5 to front lay – mistimed her punch and ended up in a DEEP squat but I don’t think she sat? Big save. Y turn to finish.

    Leigh, WVU BB: Bhs loso, little bobble. Full turn is clean. Switch to split, definitely shy of 180. I didn’t see the rest, was concerned about Nguyen.

    Smith landed awkwardly on her bars dismount – not sure what happened but looked painful.

    DiCello, BB: They mentioned that Kayla is here to support her sister today, awesome! Triple series, leans to the side but keeps it small. Switch leap to switch leap, some flexed feet and maybe shy on the second split? Little step on the dismount it looked like.

    Pilgrim, FX: 1.5 through to to double full, a little helicopter legs but well controlled. Dance series is excellent. Front through to double tuck, a little underrotated?

    Padurariu, UU UB: Maloney to bail, pretty clean. Full in dismount, little adjustment.

    Glynn, UB: Great opening handstand. Maloney to bail, a little floppy but hits handstand for sure. Great final handstand. Double tuck to dismount, little step on the landing.

    Clark, FX: Looking confident as her choreo starts. DLO, ooh, underrotated, very weird for her. Is there a dead spot on the floor or something? Dance series is excellent, great amplitude and positions in the air. Front through to double tuck, big step back but keeps the front foot in place.

    Morgan, UB: Maloney to Bhardwaj, wow, such a hard skill. Toe on tuck half off dismount, SO different – definitely some leg form but sticks it!

    Lowe, BB: Bhs loso, steady. Side aerial to beat, great. Roundoff 1.5, bounce forward.

    Blakely Sr, FX: Full in, YES, nails it. Dance series is excellent. Really selling her choreo – I love that when things get stressful she turns up the performance quality. 1.5 to front full, just LAYS it in to the lunge forward. That should be an excellent score!

    Zirbes, UB: Jaeger to overshoot, big amplitude but good control. Full in dismount, stuck.

    Brown, BB: Bhs bhs loso, little lean but stays in control. Full turn, super patient with it, doesn’t bobble at all. Switch to pike jump, that’s fun! Well executed too. Roundoff double full stuck! What a great routine.

    Wong, FX: DLO, doesn’t go OOB but pretty bouncy for her. Triple element dance series, super crisp there. Whip half to front full, excellent control there.

    McCallum hit bars for Utah… still gonna be really close here.

    Adams, BB: Front aerial to bhs loso, gorgeous series. Beat to sissone to split 3/4, definitely short of 180 there. Gainer pike off the end, little adjustment on the landing. Good for her.

    3:15pm: Harris-Miranda, FX: Front through to double tuck, nicely controlled. Dance series is super clean, great straddle positions and gets good air. Combination pass is clean – should be a good score, but will it be enough to pull ahead of Utah?

    Bui, exh FX: Double wolf to start, a little hesitant. Double tuck to open is SO clean. Switch to switch full is pretty clean. Reaaaallly showcasing her flexibility in this choreo section, although it looks maybe a little bit unfinished in the on-the-floor section? 1.5 to front lay, that’s a good one! Could definitely slot in for Nguyen if she wants to rotate out.

    AFTER THREE: UF 148.175, UU 147.9, WVU 146.25

    3:26pm: Rotation 4!

    Pilgrim, UF VT: Y1.5, pretty clean in the air, single step, and another? Looked like she didn’t need it, but maybe in the slow-mo it looked like she tripped on her toe, whoops.

    Padurariu, UU BB: Some knees on her series but steady. Maybe a little bobble on her dance series. Stuck dismount.

    Bui, VT: Y1.5, SO clean, very straight body position. Little hop on the landing.

    Blakely, VT: Y1.5 – looked like she got lost in the air?? Stumbled forward and rolled out of it. They’ll need to drop that.

    Wong, VT: Yhalf on pike half off STUCK there we go!!! They needed that. Pressure was on and she DELIVERED.

    Winger, BB: Switch to split, very clean. Series steady. Stuck gainer full! Utah putting on the pressure.

    Tuohy, WVU FX: Great front double full, very nice. Really bringing the drama in this choreo. 1.5 to front lay, a little low on the second element but pulled it out.

    3:30pm: Ferris, VT: Y1.5, great distance, single step forward. Good showing from her, hope she’s feeling better.

    Harris-Miranda, VT: Y1.5, STUCK COLD!! Not a huge amount of distance but not deductable, I don’t think.

    Smith, BB: Bhs loso, steady. Split to straddle 1/4, weird little bobble after her elements were done. Dismount looked good.

    Disidore, VT exh: Y1.5, another solid one! That could easily go in the lineup for sure.

    Leigh just NAILED her FX routine for WVU – loved the side jete in her choreo before her super quick Rudi to loso last pass.

    Morgan, BB: Gorgeous scale mount. Bhs bhs loso, nice and steady. Dance series is lovely. Front gainer full off the end, so different but well done.

    Lane, FX: Rudi to back layout to stag leap, clean. Dance series is well executed, good amplitude and positions in the air. Front double full to close?? That’s hard!

    McCallum, BB: Candle mount, clean. Triple wolf turn, super well controlled. Double wolf, not as good but still pretty clean. Bhs loso, little check there but tries to mask it. Switch to split leap, definitely does not hit 180 on the second split. Another weird wobble in her choreo there. Gainer tuck full, little hop in place.

    I think Utah’s final performer would have to get a 10 to tie Florida, not 100% sure my math is right though.

    Gantner, BB: Bhs loso, super floaty, wow. Switch half to straddle jump, some feet but great 180 positions. Full turn is clean. Little adjustment on the landing? I don’t think it was a 10 but it’s a great score.

    Mannis, FX: Not sure if that first element was supposed to be a ring jump half? Not convinced on the ring position but her leg extension is nice. 1.5 to front lay is lovely, very clean twisting form, straight to arabesque. Great ring position in her dance series, gorgeous. Very precise with her hand and foot placement, I’m obsessed. Rudi to close, chest a little low but covers well. Honestly loved the WVU choreo throughout this lineup – what a fun meet to watch!

    FINAL: UF 197.575, UU 197.425, WVU 195.475

    Wong wins the AA title with a 39.675! Maybe she just needed to take that mount out? Harris-Miranda and Utah’s Smith tie for vault with 9.95, Wong and Pilgrim tie for bars at 9.925, McCallum and Padurariu tied for beam at the same mark, and Sloane Blakely earned the sole floor title at 9.95.

    Scoring at this meet was weird. Some routines were too high, some were also underscored, but I think there are a few great takeaways regardless of scoring.

    1. Bui is training to get into other events, and fast. She’s an excellent asset as folks start needing rest.
    2. The floor lineup is not totally settled, but I think bars is. We have the right six up, and they’re getting consistent now.
    3. Wong needs less difficulty and less to think about – if she can go on autopilot, she runs less risk of getting ahead of herself and making a mistake.
    4. Vault is not as solved as we thought it was – but hopefully Blakely’s issue is a one-off and we don’t see that again.

    We’ll take that into Friday with us as the Gators face Arkansas, and we’ll see y’all back here then!

  • WBB: Vanderbilt Freshman Mikayla Blakes Scores 53 in Win Over Florida

    WBB: Vanderbilt Freshman Mikayla Blakes Scores 53 in Win Over Florida

    Photo by Carly Mackler • Getty Images

    Florida fell to No.23 Vanderbilt 99-86 Thursday night in Gainesville. This is the Gator’s fourth-straight loss in SEC play and the Commodore’s first win in the O’Dome since 2015.

    Vanderbilt’s freshman guard Mikayla Blakes scored 53, breaking the all-time Division I freshman scoring record previously set by USC’s JuJu Watkins.

    Both programs had very different weeks heading into this matchup. Florida struggled to hold on to the ball, with 20 plus turnovers in the last three outings against Ole Miss, LSU and Auburn. While Vanderbilt won its last three with upsets against No.18 Tennessee and No.22 Alabama.

    The Gators stayed competitive with its fast-paced offense throughout the first quarter. Florida fought with Vanderbilt on the glass, with each squad grabbing 11 boards.

    Florida struggled to shoot in the first but found opportunities at the free throw line, hitting 6-of-9.

    At the end of the opening quarter, the Commodores led 19-16.

    Vanderbilt’s full-court pressure led to Gator turnovers and a 13-0 Commodore run minutes into the second. Florida had 13 mistakes in the first half, resulting in 25 points for Vanderbilt off of the miscues.

    Blakes caught fire quickly in the second quarter, shooting 4-of-5 from deep and 6-of-7 from the field, totaling 22 first-half points.

    The Gators trailed at the half, 46-26.

    The Commodores continued to suffocate Florida at the start of the third.

    Iyana Moore shared the spotlight with Blakes throughout this quarter with 11 points. The senior had 22 on the night.

    Florida’s Liv McGill started to find her groove by attacking the basket and making it to the charity stripe. McGill had slightly less help in the backcourt tonight without fellow freshman Me’Arah O’Neal who was out due to illness.

    The Gators still had a long way to go down 73-56 after three.

    When all hope seemed lost, Florida found a spark in the fourth quarter and came out fighting.

    “We’re competitors. We’ve had quite a bit of adversity, but I love coaching this team. I love competing with them. We don’t ever turn our backs on each other and we’re relentless and resilient,” said Florida Head Coach Kelly Rae Finley. “As strong women, those are skills you’re going to take for the rest of your life.”

    The Gators outscored Vanderbilt 30-27 in the final ten minutes with the help of McGill and Ra Shaya Kyle. The pair dominated the paint and had multiple and-1 opportunities.

    Florida was able to cut the lead to single digits at eight with 4:44 remaining.

    However, Mikayla Blakes wasn’t done yet.

    The Nashville native used crafty takes to draw fouls, keeping the Gators from putting together a consistent run.

    Blakes and McGill faced off in a back-and-forth freshman showdown, proving why they are the future of the SEC and women’s basketball.

    Although Florida played strong through the final minutes, Vanderbilt ended up on top, 99-86.

    The Gators will try and break its losing streak when they battle Arkansas on Monday in Fayetteville. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. and will stream on SECN.

  • WGYM Liveblog: No. 13 Georgia at No. 3 Florida

    WGYM Liveblog: No. 13 Georgia at No. 3 Florida

    Is it bad that this doesn’t really feel like THE rivalry for Florida anymore?

    Georgia hasn’t been anywhere as competitive as they used to be in so long, it’s hard to think of the Gymdogs as true rivals to the Gators nowadays. But that may be about to change – Georgia has once again overhauled their coaching staff, making previous assistant Ryan Roberts the new co-head coach alongside famed elite coach Cécile Canqueteau-Landi, formerly of World Champions Centre. If you’re part of our readership that is more Gator fan than gymnastics fan, she was Simone Biles’s coach for the last two Olympic cycles – that should speak for itself.

    Whether or not her coaching will translate to a collegiate environment more effectively than her predecessors remains to be seen, but Georgia has certainly seen a recruiting bump from her presence, if nothing else. Former elites Csenge Bácskay (Neb) and Kara Eaker (Utah, med retirement) both transferred to UGA as juniors to work with her, and ASU standout Anaya Smith also chose to take her fifth year as a Gymdog instead.

    Still, the Gymdogs haven’t broken 197 yet, whereas the Gators went 197.45 last week away at LSU, so it seems unlikely that they would lose at home here. Some highlights to look for are Ady Wahl’s vault, Ja’Free Scott on bars and beam, Bacskay on floor, and last year’s Freshman of the Year Lily Smith on at least beam and floor, if not all four.

    The Gators still have some things to clean up here in early season, but no one should be in panic mode like some were after Week 1. Some consistency issues still exist in the bar lineup, and I know we would all prefer if Skye Blakely were scoring in the 9.9s instead of the 9.7s. Wong also just had kind of an off week last week, and I would love to see her rested from all-around if she’s still not feeling 100%. I hear that Danie Ferris is feeling a little under the weather and may not compete tonight, but don’t fret, she should be back soon.

    Anya Pilgrim and Selena Harris-Miranda, however, both looked solid, and since the floor lineup still doesn’t seem solidified (and Ferris is likely out of it tonight anyway), we should all cross our fingers that we see Pilgrim’s floor debut for the season. And it would be awesome to see Taylor Clark make her vault debut… she warmed up really well earlier tonight.

    It all starts in just a few minutes on SEC Network, but we’ll have all the action here (from my tiny little phone) if you can’t tune in!

    6:24pm: Twitter is saying things are getting underway in the O-Dome, but we are, of course, waiting on the broadcast. Live scoring link is here, and it looks like our vault lineup will not feature Clark. Womp womp.

    6:32pm: Broadcast is finally live! Don’t love our commentary team tonight, the trope of “man commentator who has no gymnastics knowledge” is pretty tired, but the Florida ladies are wearing the new Gator head leo!!

    Rotation 1, here we go!

    Pilgrim, UF VT: Y1.5, super clean, little step on the landing.

    Howard, UGA UB: Tkachev to overshoot, it’s fine I guess. I hate when they don’t go to handstand, but it’s legal. Full pirouette is mostly fine, to double tuck, little step back.

    Lazzari, VT: Y1.5, sizable hop forward, just overcooked it a bit. Would rather that than she sit it.

    Berry, UB: Good opening handstand work. Maloney to pak, legs absolutely pasted together, super clean. Some problems continuing on the low bar, just couldn’t make it to handstand. Doesn’t hop down though, fights through and repeats. Finishes with a clean double tuck, but that will be the score they want to drop.

    Bui, VT: Y1.5, great distance, maybe a bit flat of an arc for that distance but 4 feet in the air isn’t bad. Hop forward on the dismount.

    Mason, UB: Piked Jaeger to overshoot, Jaeger was really clean and overshoot was one of the more acceptable ones. Double tuck dismount, little step back it looked like?

    Blakely Sr., VT: Y1.5, HUGE dynamics, little step on the landing. Starting to get that landing dialed in! You love to see that.

    Wahl, UB: Maloney to pak, maybe a little shy on the pak but makes it work. Handstand work on low bar is clean, and final handstand too. DLO is stuck! That’s a much better routine than any other Georgia ones we’ve seen so far.

    Wong, VT: Yhalf-on, pike half off, little slide back on the landing. Good shape in the air, although maybe more leg separation than I’m used to seeing from her?

    Snyder, UB: Piked toe-on Tkachev (Church) to overshoot, great dynamics on there but overshoot is a little wild. Double tuck dismount, couldn’t hold the stick, her momentum made her take a step.

    Harris-Miranda, VT: Y1.5, WOW. Almost stuck! Pretty clean in the air too, should be a good score.

    Smith, UB: Maloney to bail, flops it a little but locks it back into place. Good handstand work, double tuck with a step.

    AFTER ONE: UF 49.55, UGA 49.15

    I’m pretty tired of Pilgrim getting lowballed because of lineup order bias or whatever the reason is this week. Wong’s score of 9.925 feels a little high for me, but I’m not there and I have the benefit of slow-mo. But pretty thrilled for Harris-Miranda getting rewarded with a 9.95, that’ll be hard for Georgia to touch.

    6:51pm: Rotation 2!

    Howard, UGA VT: Yurchenko full, pretty clean, little hop.

    Blakely Sr., UF UB: Maloney to pak, pretty clean this week. Good handstand work in the middle. Blind half to double front dismount, single step on the dismount.

    King, VT: Yfull, big bounce back but good body position. She also hopped past the line.

    Pilgrim, UB: Pak to good handstand work, to van leeuwen, some leg sep there? Full in dismount is stuck! Shows it off for a second while the crowd goes WILD.

    Bacskay, VT: Y1.5, very bent knees, little step forward.

    McCusker, UB: Let’s see if she can make another big step forward tonight. Great low bar handstand. Maloney to pak, super clean. Great low bar handstand again, van Leeuwen is super clean. DLO is a little starfishy but she sticks it!

    Smith, VT: Y1.5, much tighter body position than her previous teammate, still some knees but a huge improvement. Little bounce forward but a solid score for sure.

    Blakely Jr., UB: Ricna to pak, SO difficult and so clean. Great final handstand, blind half is great, double front half is stuck! There we go! She’s been looking for that the last few weeks.

    Aquino, VT: Tsuk full, SO clean, and stuck! Holy cow, Georgia needs that.

    Harris-Miranda, UB: Great opening handstand. Ray to open, not the biggest but clean. Bail, allllmost overarches it but saves it somehow. DLO is stuck! I expect that’ll still be the score they want to drop, but good for her for saving it.

    Wahl, VT: Y1.5, some knees there again, but just a small hop on the landing.

    Wong, UB: Good handstand to start. Maloney to pak, some leg sep on both, that’s unusual. Short on that next handstand. van Leeuwen is clean. DLO, has to take a step forward.

    AFTER TWO: UF 98.95, UGA 98.475

    7:08pm: Rotation 3!

    Draser, UF BB: Bhs loso, suuuper steady, so calm. Switch leap to switch half, a little shy of 180 on the second element maybe? Full turn is fine. Roundoff 1.5 stuck! What a great start.

    Williams, UGA FX: Double pike to lead off, great dynamics, well controlled. Leaps look nice. Front lay front full, she almost fell out of that, saved it and didn’t go OOB but took a big wild jump, how odd. Double tuck to finish, nicely controlled as she closes out. A serviceable lead off for sure.

    Blakely, BB: Front aerial to bhs, so quick on the connection. Split leap to switch half, gorgeous. Full turn is clean. Gainer full to close and sticks it cold. She’s on fire tonight!

    King, FX: First combo pass is clean, well controlled. 1.5 to front lay, a little loose body position but it floats nicely. That routine feels so short.

    Pilgrim, BB: Bhs loso, so solid. Cat leap front aerial, well connected. She’s so calm. Switch to split leap, great extension, toe point is gorgeous. Bhs gainer full off the side, holds it for an extra second because she can.

    Bacskay, FX: 2.5 to punch front, nicely connected, very floaty. Back double full, also pretty clean. Really showcasing her flexibility in this choreo section. Double pike to finish, maybe a little gassed but pulls it around. That’s a big routine!

    7:20pm: Nguyen, BB: Onodi to bhs, so pretty, well connected. Webb pointing out she turns the opposite way from most gymnasts, definitely harder. Switch to split, gorgeous extension. Bhs 1.5, little scoot back.

    Aquino, FX: Front through to double tuck, kind of a big lunge back but nice height on the double tuck itself. Really playing to the crowd here, and the Gator fans are not giving her anything, but it doesn’t phase her! Getting all her energy from her music and her team. A HUGE double pike, she doesn’t even use the whole diagonal, slides back a bit with that front foot, but wow. She’s a powerhouse for sure.

    Wong, BB: Switch leap mount – and she grabs the beam! Oh no! That’ll be a 3-tenth deduction. Front aerial to beat jump, that’s lovely. Bhs loso, super clean. Full turn is fine. Gainer tuck full off the end is stuck, but she’s clearly upset at herself again.

    Wahl, FX: Full in, big lean back but doesn’t go OOB. Splits are definitely short of 180 in her dance series. Front through to double tuck for her second pass, great control there.

    Harris-Miranda, BB: Bhs loso bhs, lays it in like a pro, big smile as she finishes. Switch to split, pretty clean, though hard to tell angle from this camera position. Full turn is lovely. Front toss, little wobble and wave of the arms but keeps it small. Roundoff 1.5 twist dismount, holds that stick!

    Smith, FX: Front double full, gooorgeous twisting form. Told y’all to watch this one. 1.5 to front lay, oooh deeeeep squat, she mistimed that punch but still didn’t sit somehow. Maybe I jinxed her, oopsie. Rudi to straddle jump, well controlled.

    AFTER THREE: UF 148.625, UGA 147.475

    On 198 pace?? Hello there, we’ll take that!

    The 49.675 beam score for the Gators is also a nation high so far this season – can someone say silencing the haters?

    7:37pm: Last one, best one!

    Wahl, UGA BB: Triple series to open, super solid. Full turn is clean. Side somi, kinda squatty but steady. Dance series was a tuck jump half to split 3/4 I think with a biiiiiig wobble and lots of arm swings, but doesn’t fall. Little step on her dismount.

    Nguyen, UF FX: Front double full to… I don’t think that’s actually the sissone, I think that was just a big jump forward. Stayed in though, so that’s good. Dance sequence is STUNNING. 1.5 to front lay, much better controlled. Y turn is lovely as always. Hopefully no further issues in this lineup…

    Tomlin, BB: Her college debut! Switch to switch side, gorgeous 180 positions. Bhs bhs loso, very steady, very patient with it. Full turn is clean, balanced. Roundoff 1.5 twist, big hop forward. But still, on the beam, what a routine! Great debut for her.

    Pilgrim, FX: Her floor debut this year! Another all-Rihanna routine this year to honor her heritage in Barbados. A long wait here – Nguyen ends up with a 9.5, yikes.

    Here we go – 1.5 through to double full, really clean twisting. Y turn to full turn, well connected. Leap series was clean, good positions in the air, well rotated. Floor choreo in the middle is a little… disconnected? Not the biggest fan of that. Front through to double tuck, a little bouncy on the landing but keeps control of her front foot. Gator chomp to finish. A good reset.

    O’Driscoll, BB: Bhs bhs loso, super secure there, well done. Switch half to beat jump, some feet in the switch half but good 180. Maybe a bobble on the full turn? 1.5 twist dismount, little adjustment on the landing.

    Clark, FX: DLO, SO high, maybe a small shift of the front foot. Really working this choreo section here, this is easily my favorite routine so far this season. Leap series is so high, easily makes her rotation, no issues. Front through to double tuck, kinda dances out of it to cover her lack of control but I doubt it will fool the judges.

    Turner, BB: Full turn is clean to start things off. Bhs loso loso, a break at the hips but keeps it on the beam. Switch to split, clean there. Roundoff 1.5, stuck! Good for her. That’s good fight from a team that is not known for being a beam team.

    Blakely Sr., FX: Full in, TEXTBOOK. She’s feeling it tonight. Leap series is excellent, great extension and well controlled. 1.5 to front full, holds the landing – this could be a really big score!! 9.925!

    Smith, BB: Acro series is clean, it looks like. Switch to split to beat, that second split was a little shy of 180 I believe, a little balance check involved. Pike front toss, lands well upright, great control and balance. Gainer layout full off the side, little adjustment.

    Wong, FX: She looks unhappy with how her night has gone. I really thinks she could use a rest. DLO to open, NAILS it, she needed that. Triple leap series, so clean, well above 180 degrees. Whip half to front full, basically stuck, almost couldn’t arabesque into the rest of her choreo. She looks a lot happier after that routine than before!

    Gleichowski, BB: Apparently has fallen both meets so far? We’ll see I guess! Bhs loso loso, that’s clean! Full turn is fine. Switch leap to switch half, does not make 180 on either. Roundoff 1.5 stuck! She hit, good for her!

    Harris-Miranda, FX: Front through to double tuck, maybe a little deep squat on the landing but pops it into a lunge quickly. Leap series is clean, not awesome but good. Really selling the choreo though. 1.5 to whip half to stag jump into her ending choreo – that will give Florida the 198 almost certainly. What a night!

    FINAL: UF 198.125, UGA 196.825

    Harris-Miranda wins the AA at 39.625 and vault at 9.95. Wahl, Pilgrim, and Skye Blakely tied for bars at 9.9, while Sloane Blakely, Pilgrim, Nguyen, and Gleichowski tied for beam at 9.9 as well. Sloane and Wong also tied at 9.925 for the floor title.

    While Florida did cross 198 tonight, I think there a few more important takeaways to talk about – Wong needs a brain break. Especially on beam. Lazzari being able to focus on vault feels like a good thing, and she isn’t being missed on beam, as much as that pains me to say. Skye is getting stronger on bars, which may bode well for other events, and same with McCusker. I wouldn’t say they neeeeeeed Ferris back… but she’d be a big plus. And Sloane is in the best shape of her life, her 10 is coming for sure.

    So where does that leave us? Hope that Ferris gets well soon, which will give Wong the opportunity to rotate out on at least vault and floor, and then maybe let McCusker take a turn on beam to let her take a week or two off there. I’m not sure next week will be the week, though, since the Gators will face Utah at West Virginia in an unusual tri-meet situation, and they will want to put up another strong away score, especially against another nationals-level opponent like the Utes. But vs. Arkansas or Auburn the two weeks after, those would be great times to rest Wong so she’s in top shape before Oklahoma mid-February.

    That’s all for me tonight! I am hoping I will be able to cover the tri-meet next week, but it is at 2pm on Sunday, the day before some big life stuff happening for me, so be sure to check Twitter to see if I’ll be covering the meet or not. I’ll try to do a recap if I can’t make it live!

  • MBB: Gators Pull off Thrilling Comeback Victory Over South Carolina

    MBB: Gators Pull off Thrilling Comeback Victory Over South Carolina

    Photo by Isaiah Vazquez • Getty Images

    The No. 5 Florida Gators completed an unbelievable 14-point second-half comeback to take down the South Carolina Gamecocks 70-69 on Wednesday night in Columbia.

    South Carolina led by 14 with 12:48 remaining in the game, but Florida came all the way back to tie it with 52 seconds left. After Zachary Davis made 1-of-2 from the free throw line to give the Gamecocks a one-point advantage, Florida’s Will Richard drove down the lane and kissed a left-handed layup off the glass to give the Gators their first lead of the game with five seconds on the clock and secure an important SEC road win.

    The victory improved Florida’s record to 17-2, which is tied for its best 19-game start to a season in program history. Conversely, South Carolina dropped its sixth straight SEC game to begin conference play and fell to 10-9 overall.

    Richard was phenomenal all night for Florida as he led them with 22 points on 9-of-14 shooting from the field and 3-of-5 from downtown. He was also a menace on the defensive end as he had three steals and a blocked shot.

    Walter Clayton Jr. and Alijah Martin also scored in double figures for Florida as Clayton had 16 to go along with seven assists and four rebounds, and Martin scored 14 points and had three takeaways.

    The Gamecocks controlled the first half of play as Collin Murray-Boyles played lights-out basketball. He finished the frame with a game-high 11 points on 5-of-6 shooting with five assists as well. He, along with the rest of the South Carolina offense made a conscious effort to work the ball inside as they scored 20 points in the paint in the half. Richard led the Gators with eight points after the first 20 minutes, including two triples.

    Florida trailed 36-29 at the break.

    Six minutes into the second half, Walter Clayton Jr. knocked down a long ball to cut the Gators’ deficit to single digits. With this made triple, Clayton broke the Florida program record for most consecutive games with a made 3-pointer as he drilled one for the 42nd straight game. This broke the mark of 41 games set by Michael Frazier II in 2014.

    Suffocating defense by the Gators and unforced errors by the Gamecocks allowed Florida to crawl back into the game and eventually win it. South Carolina turned the ball over 15 times, which led to 22 points for Florida off of them. There was also a glaring difference in the transition game as the Gators had a 22-0 advantage in fast break points.

    The fight and never-say-die spirit that Florida showed in this game is a big reason why Gators fans are so excited about what their team can do in March. The Gamecocks led for over 38 of the 40 minutes in the game, but Florida battled back and pulled out an incredible comeback victory.

    The Gators will head back home for their next game against the Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday in the O’Dome. Former Florida head coach Mike White, who is at the helm of Georgia, is 0-5 against his former team since joining the Bulldogs, and the Gators have beaten Georgia 11 straight times. Tipoff at Exactech Arena on Saturday is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET and can be seen on SECNetwork.

  • WBB: Gators Lose Second Straight to LSU

    WBB: Gators Lose Second Straight to LSU

    Photo by Matt Kelley • Getty Images

    After another turnover-filled game, Florida lost 80-63 Sunday against the No.6 LSU Tigers. Despite the struggles, the fourth-largest crowd in Florida women’s basketball history packed the O’Dome with 6,568 people. 

    The Tigers got off to a hot start, going on a 7-0 run in the game’s first minute. The Gators took a timeout to regroup and bounced back with a similar run, swinging momentum.

    Ra Shaya Kyle owned the paint in the first quarter with seven points and three boards. Florida shot its best in the first, hitting 47% of field goals and 50% of threes. 

    The Gators led 21-15 after the first ten, thanks to efforts on the glass. 

    Florida struggled to shoot the ball in the second, making only 23.5% of shots. However, freshman point guard Liv McGill matched the Tiger’s energy, scoring nine of the Gators 12 in the second quarter. McGill once again scored in double-digits with 21 total points.

    “She’s incredible. I challenged our staff to find another freshman in Power-four basketball who has the responsibility that she [Liv] has for our team. I can’t think of one,” said Florida Head Coach Kelly Rae Finley.

    The lack of overall offensive production led to opportunities for the Tigers. Florida also committed a handful of fouls, sending LSU to the line for 11 free throws.

    Entering this game, the Tigers averaged just over 48 rebounds a game, the second-best in the SEC. Florida managed to outrebound LSU, 27-18 in the first half, keeping the game close. 

    The Gators trailed by four at the half, 37-33. 

    As the third quarter began, so did Gator turnovers. Florida committed 14 total mistakes in the second half, and 24 throughout the game. 

    Kim Mulkey’s team took full advantage of the errors and pushed the pace, scoring 22 points off of the turnovers. 

    LSU ran away with the game in the fourth, totaling 17 straight unanswered points through the first five minutes. 

    “When you can empty [the bench] and play everybody on your team with five minutes to go in the game and you’re up 28, knowing what we face next, that’s a good day,” said LSU Head Coach Kim Mulkey.

    The Tigers big three of Flaujae Johnson, Aneesah Morrow and Mikayla Williams scored 19, 20 and 22 respectively, ruining the Gator’s chances of a comeback. 

    Florida didn’t score a fourth-quarter point until 4:13 remained in the game and at that point it was too late. 

    LSU improves to 20-0 for only the second time in program history, while Florida falls to 2-4 in SEC play and 11-9 overall. 

    The Gators are back in action on the road against Auburn (10-9, 1-5) on Sunday, January 26. The Tigers will battle Mississippi State on Thursday before its matchup against Florida. 

    Tip-off is scheduled for 3 p.m.