History on the hardwood will be on the line this week for the Gators.
No, this is not a reference to the men’s basketball team – with its quest for a third title in program history at the Final Four in San Antonio.
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Five days before the men’s, Florida women’s basketball team will look to add some banners at the semifinals of the Women’s Basketball Invitational Tournament (WBIT). The Gators face Minnesota Monday at 5 p.m. at the Hinkie Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. A win sets up an appearance in the tournament final against either Belmont or Villanova at 6 p.m. Wednesday.
Buzzer beater changes everything for Florida women’s basketball
The Gators’ appearance in the WBIT was their second in a row. Last season, UF was upset at home by St. John’s. On March 20, Florida avoided the same fate with a double-digit win over Northern Iowa behind 28 points from senior Jeriah Warren.
However, a home win over Horizon League foe isn’t going to change the program. A win three days later may have done just that, though.
The Gators traveled west to Las Vegas and UNLV. A back-and-forth resulted in UF controlling possession with eight seconds left. Liv McGill lost possession and passed it to Jeriah Warren. In the corner of her eye, she saw Kenza Salgues. She got the pass and immediately knocked in the game winning 3.
McGill leads the show vs. Texas Tech
Florida needed to make sure that what happened in Vegas didn’t stay in Vegas vs. a Texas Tech squad that had upset top-seeded Virgina Tech.
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At home, UF trailed by 11 to the Red Raiders in the third quarter. Like the men two days later, the squad stormed back with a 12-0 run and retook the lead before the end of the quarter. In a grind-it-out fourth quarter, the Gators made their foul shots and prevailed 67-63. In high-stakes moments, Florida has chosen to remain together — a rare skill in a team.
“It takes a long time to build that chemistry of poise and composure down the stretch, because you could very easily crumble, but that’s not what we’ve chosen to do,” Finley said.
Two-thirds (43) of UF’s points came from McGill or Ra Shaya Kyle. At 16.5 PPG, McGill is one of the best freshman scorers in the conference. However, her real strength this tournament has been her shooting percentage. She’s shot 8 of 15 in the Texas Tech game. Kyle, meanwhile, shot 6 of 11.
Why does this matter?
Is the WBIT the NCAA Tournament? No. But this run is a massive step in the right direction for the young Gators. All season, it’s been clear Florida has the talent. However, it’s struggled to close games due to inexperience. Finley acknowledged it’s been a point of emphasis as the season has progressed.
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The WBIT wins, plus a one-point SEC Tournament win over top 20 Alabama, shows UF has turned the tide in that department.
The three wins also show reason to believe for McGill and Me’Arah O’Neal – two freshman Kelly Rae Finley cannot afford to lose in the transfer portal. If the coach can keep those two, and Ra Shaya Kyle from the WNBA Draft, she could have a solid team on her hands next season.
“It takes experience to know what it takes, and I think that we’ve learned that,” Finley said. “I fully expect us to be playing this weekend next year in a different tournament.”
Where’s Kelly Rae?
Speaking of Finley, she will not be on the sideline. Instead, she’ll be preparing for the birth of her first child, The Alligator reported Sunday.
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Assistant coach Susie Gardner will coach the Gators instead. Finley has tried to keep her pregnancy under wraps, but she’s still gotten the attention of other coaches – including LSU’s Kim Mulkey.
It is unlikely Finley will coach UF on Wednesday as her baby is due in late March/early April.
McGill said fans in Indy should expect grit, toughness and togetherness from UF this week.
“The Gators are always coming for you, and we’re never giving up,” McGill said.
Monday’s game will be on ESPNU, Wednesday’s on ESPN2.
Noah Ram covers Gainesville-area high school sports and University of Florida athletics for The Gainesville Sun, GatorSports.com and the USA TODAY Network. Contact him by email at Nram@gannett.com and follow him @Noah_ram1 on X/Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Florida women’s basketball battles Minnesota in Indianapolis WBIT semifinals
