GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The Florida Women’s Basketball Team had SECN viewers on upset alert Sunday, leading No. 25/24 Alabama early in the fourth quarter of the afternoon, but the Crimson Tide (21-7, 7-7) held the Gators (16-13, 4-10) to four of 15 shooting in the period to escape with the 76-71 victory. Florida’s bench accounted for 26 points and 23 rebounds led by a 13-point, eight rebound performance by Jade Weathersby, a career-high 10 rebounds from KN’isha Godfrey, and a 10-point effort from “Nidi” Yiech. Liv McGill scored a team-high 19 points, and Laila Reynolds added 12 in the loss.

KEY RUNS

1st Quarter (Crimson Tide 17, Gators 14)

• Alabama opened the quarter with a three-pointer and closed it with a three, as the Crimson Tide never trailed in the first. They led by as many as six points, and made four of seven three-pointers in the period. Ta’Mia Scott led all scorers with 10 points thanks to a trio of triples. Weathersby led Florida with six points off the bench behind two of three shooting from distance.

2nd Quarter (Crimson Tide 38, Gators 32)

• It was still a three-point game, 22-19, with 8:13 to go before the break when Alabama went on a 9-0 run to extend its advantage to 12. Florida rattled off a 7-0 run of its own to close the gap to five. Reynolds and McGill each scored six in the second for the Gators, while Jessica Timmons poured in 10 for ‘Bama.

3rd Quarter (Gators 58, Crimson Tide 54)

• Alabama led by as many as nine, and it was still an eight-point Crimson Tide advantage, 54-46, with 3:39 remaining in the third. Florida closed the quarter on a 12-0 run, however, to head into the fourth with its first lead of the afternoon. The Gators made nine of 14 shots in the quarter including three of four from distance, as McGill scored a team-high nine points. Of Florida’s 26 points, 12 came off the bench as Weathersby and Yiech each scored five apiece, and Gift Ezekiel added a bucket.

4th Quarter (Crimson Tide 76, Gators 71)

• Weathersby connected in a pair of free throws to begin the fourth, but Alabama scored eight of the next 10 to tie the score at 62. It was still tied at 68 when Timmons connected on a three-pointer to put Alabama back on top with 2:19 remaining. Her layup on the Crimson Tide’s next possession put them up five, and her subsequent free throw gave ‘Bama a six-point cushion, 74-68. Alexia Dizeko sliced the lead in half with a three-pointer with 1:16 to go, but a Timmons free throw with 23 seconds on the clock made it a two-possession game. She made one of two from the line at the 13 second mark for the final margin of victory.

KEY STATS

• The Crimson Tide made 12 of 23 from three-point range, while Florida went eight for 21. Those 12 made threes by Alabama are tied for the most the Gators have allowed this season.
• The Crimson Tide made 54.2 % of their field goal attempts (26 of 48), while Florida made 42.9% of theirs (24 of 56).
• Florida went 15 for 25 from the free throw line while the Crimson Tide made 12 of 22.
• Florida’s bench outscored Alabama’s 26-10.
• The Gators outrebounded the Crimson Tide 37-28, including 14-5 on the offensive end.
• Ta’Mia Scott and Jessica Timmons combined to score 55 points for Alabama, making 17 of 30 shots from the field, 12 of 18 from three-point range, and nine of 13 from the free throw line.

GATOR BITES

• The Gators are now 32-37 all-time against Alabama.
• Liv McGill scored in double figures for the 29th straight game (19 points).
• Liv McGill’s 19 points in the game give her 1,222 for her career, moving her past Haley Lorenzen ’18 (1,214 points) and Cheryl Fisher ’81 (1,221) on the Gators’ career scoring chart. Next up on the list is Jennifer George ’13 in 20th place with 1,257 points.
• Liv McGill’s 19 points give her (611) on the season, which is 20 behind Tonya Washington’s single-season program record of 631 set in the 1999-2000 campaign.
• Laila Reynolds scored in double figures for the 20th time this season (12 points).
• KN’isha Godfrey grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds on the afternoon.
• Jade Weathersby grabbed a season-high eight rebounds.

NEXT OPPONENT
           The Gators host Ole Miss Thursday, Feb. 26 in the final game of the regular season at Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. Tip is slated for 6 p.m. EST, and the game is being broadcast on SECN+.

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