Following a disappointing opening to conference play, the Gators showed a newfound spirit of hustle and determination to secure their first SEC win inside the Stephen C. O’Connell Center.
Florida (10-6, 1-1 SEC) defeated the Georgia Bulldogs (8-8, 0-2 SEC) 73-57 Sunday afternoon in its first home conference game of the season.
Although Georgia scored the first points of the game, UF freshman guard Liv McGill secured a three-pointer to lead off Florida’s dominating performance.
The Bulldogs’ offense was no match for the Gators’ defense, as Florida forced eight Georgia turnovers in the first quarter alone. By the end of the period, 13 of Florida’s 25 points came off turnovers, which outscored Georgia's total of 10 points.
Going into the half, Georgia committed 13 turnovers that led to 21 points for the Gators. Florida has averaged 20 points off turnovers per game this season, but by the end of Sunday’s contest, Florida had 27.
It was clear that multiple Gators were hungry for a win and they did not let up for the entirety of the game’s 40 minutes. Senior forward Alexia Dizeko smothered the Bulldogs’ with her relentless defensive aggression just halfway through the first quarter, helping the Gators secure an early lead.
With less than seven minutes to go in the period, Dizeko secured a steal for a fast break before rejecting Georgia senior guard Asia Avinger at the rim on the following play. She totaled seven points this game.
Three Gators reached double-digit scoring, with senior center Ra Shaya Kyle and McGill securing their double-digits by halftime. Kyle had the team-lead with 12 points on 5-5 shooting, while McGill had tallied 11 points on 4-7 shooting by the half.
Kyle, who averages 15.7 points per game and secured her ninth double-double of the season against No. 19 Alabama on Jan. 2, led Florida with 18 points and five rebounds on the day. The highly touted freshman McGill, currently No. 12 points per game in the SEC (16.3), was second with 15 points and six rebounds. Sophomore guard Laila Reynolds also upheld her double-digit scoring average with 13 points on 6-11 shooting.
It was an all-around effort for the Gators on both ends of the court. Eight Gators finished in the scoring column this game, with five tallying five points or more.
Georgia did pick up its pace in the second quarter, with freshman guard Trinity Turner scoring six points to bring her to double-digits (11) and to cut Florida’s lead to 17 points. However, Florida still maintained 58% shooting on the floor and was ahead 44-27 into halftime.
Despite a slower third quarter, Florida’s strong first quarter proved to be the catalyst for locking in a victory against the all-time series favorite. The Gators created the largest point deficit for Georgia with a 25-point lead, which only dropped by three points going into the last quarter.
Georgia also found a late spark in the fourth quarter, dropping Florida’s lead to a game-low 13 points at one point following an 8-0 run, namely due in part to Turner’s team-high of 20 points.
However, the Bulldogs lacked consistency, while the Gators did not relinquish their double-digit lead throughout the game. Freshman wing Me’Arah O’Neal came out in the fourth quarter to secure four points. Senior guard Jeriah Warren also contributed with a triple that marked Florida’s sixth this game, beating its season average of 31%. UF finished the afternoon shooting 48% from beyond the arc.
The Gators compete in their next conference game at home against Kentucky (12-1, 1-0 SEC) on Thursday at 5 p.m. at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center.
Contact Amanda Roman at aroman@alligator.org. Follow her on X @mandy_romannn
Amanda Roman is a sophomore sports journalism major and The Alligator's Fall 2024 Soccer Reporter. She interned for Fort Lauderdale United FC this past summer as the team's journalist. In her free time, she enjoys lifting, shopping and reading.
