After holding No. 23 Alabama within striking distance through three quarters, Florida let the game slip away in the fourth, ending an intense back-and-forth battle on a disappointing note.
Heading into this game, Florida aimed to build on its momentum after coming off a record-breaking 108-point performance against Arkansas on Monday.
However, the Florida Gators (12-12, 3-7 SEC) fell short 84-66 to the Alabama Crimson Tide (19-5, 6-4 SEC) at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center on Thursday, costing them a chance at securing their first ranked win since 2022.
Alabama ranked fourth in the SEC for three-point shooting with a 42.7% clip entering Thursday’s game. The Crimson Tide relied on production beyond the arc to cruise to victory. Graduate student guard/forward Aaliyah Nye spearheaded the Alabama offense, shooting 9-of-12 from the three-point line and contributing to the Crimson Tide’s 12-of-23 three-point performance.
Meanwhile, Florida struggled, only shooting 21% from the three-point line. UF’s overall field goal clip sat at 33%, falling short of its typical No. 2 SEC-ranking performance (47.7%) compared to Alabama’s 52%.
Freshman guard Liv McGill led Florida’s offense with 22 points on 9-of-25 shooting from the field, marking her tenth game scoring 20 or more points.
“She’s a volume shooter, she’s definitely going to get a lot of shots up,” Alabama head coach Kristy Curry said. “You just have to make sure you have a hand in her face every time, and you gotta find her early and often.”
Sophomore guard Laila Reynolds provided crucial first-half baskets to keep the game within Florida’s reach, including a game-tying shot at 17-17 to end the first period. She finished the night with 14 points on 7-of-17 field goal shooting.
“I don’t think I could be more pleased with where [Reynolds is] at, but she’s a competitor,” UF head coach Kelly Rae Finley said. “She’s relentless in her work ethic, and she’s earned the opportunity to go out there and play that way. It’s what we expect from her.”
UF senior center Ra Shaya Kyle, who recently surpassed 1,000 career points and reached her 12th double-double of the season, added 15 points. Although Kyle was held to only two points by the half, she responded in the second half, shooting 9-of-9 from the free-throw line and adding 13 points.
Senior guard Jeriah Warren, while only scoring three points and not reaching her usual double-digit average (12.6 PPG), contributed a team-high of 10 rebounds.
The absence of UF freshman wing Me’Arah O’Neal, who led the team for the first time on Monday with a career-high 19 points, was felt.
Despite this loss, the Gators displayed resilience, grit and notable improvements they have continued incorporating since the beginning of conference play.
“I was really pleased with our effort. That’s the effort, though, that’s required to earn [the] opportunity to win in this league,” Finley said. “It’s required every single night, and I thought we made a lot of hustle plays, we got to a lot of loose balls.”
Both teams ended the first half with seven turnovers, and Florida outrebounded Alabama by two (25-23). By the end of the game, Florida forced 14 turnovers, compared to Alabama's 13, and outrebounded the Crimson Tide 44-38.
At halftime, Alabama led 32-27, but the Gators managed to hold them back and keep the game close.
In the third quarter, Alabama only outscored Florida by one point (24-23) with McGill scoring 10 points in this quarter alone.
However, the fourth quarter was Florida’s breaking point. Alabama’s offense was on fire, displaying powerful shooting and chipping away at UF’s defense.
“Understanding how to execute in those possessions, feeling the pressure, feeling the intensity and the urgency of the moment, and then understanding being able to deliver in those moments,” Finley said. “But once you feel it, once this team is able to feel it, I know that they won't ever look back.”
The Crimson Tide had four players finish in double figures: graduate student guard Sarah Ashlee Barker (18), graduate student guard Zaay Green (15), sophomore forward Essence Cody (16) and Nye (27).
The Gators’ defense was unable to keep up their intensity down the stretch, allowing Alabama to come away with a victory.
Now, Florida must reset as it prepares to face No. 2 South Carolina (22-1,10-0 SEC) on the road. The Gamecocks, who are currently riding a 17-game winning streak, will present another tough game on Thursday at 7 p.m.
Contact Amanda Roman at aroman@alligator.org. Follow her on X @mandy_romannn
Amanda Roman is a sophomore sports journalism major and the Spring 2025 women's basketball reporter. This is her second semester at the sports desk for The Alligator, and she previously interned for Fort Lauderdale United FC. In her free time, she enjoys lifting, shopping and reading.
