UF WBK: Gators Drop to Tulane in Game One of St. Pete Showcase

Gators Drop to Tulane in Game One of St. Pete Showcase
The Gators fell 83-81 to the Green Wave on Thursday afternoon at the 2024 St. Pete Showcase.

TAMPA, Fla. – Florida women’s basketball fell one possession short to Tulane at 83-81 in opening action of the St. Pete Showcase. The Gators were led on both sides of the court by Ra Shaya Kyle<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/ra-shaya-kyle/16858> with nine rebounds and a career high 25-points.

Florida saw a slower offensive start, shooting 31.3 percent from the field in the first quarter. The Gators trailed Tulane by 10 (23-13) heading into quarter two. It was Kyle for the Gators who initiated the comeback, shooting 100 percent from the field (3-3), and securing a free throw to tally seven points for the Orange & Blue. Kyle also grabbed three rebounds and one steal to make a difference on the defensive end. Laila Reynolds<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/laila-reynolds/16860> had three assists to lead the Gators in distribution and add to Florida’s retaliation. The Gators led 30-29 going into the half.

The Gators continued to hold the advantage over Tulane for the majority of the second half with Florida’s biggest lead of the game being a 12-point margin at 58-46 in the third quarter (1:29). Heading into the final quarter, Tulane began to chip away at UF’s lead. The Green Wave evened the scoreboard out six different times in the last few minutes of play until the game was knotted at 81-81 with less than 30 seconds on the clock. Tulane was given the final possession of the game and put up the last shot to close out 83-81 over the Gators.

IN THE FIRST:

* Florida’s first eight points of the contest came from Jeriah Warren<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/jeriah-warren/16862> (4), and Reynolds (4)
* UF out-rebounded Tulane 13-9 in Q1
* Liv McGill<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/liv-mcgill/16880> and Kyle led on the boards, both securing three rebounds
* The Gators shot a game low 31.3 from the field
* Eight of Florida’s 13 points came from inside the paint

IN THE SECOND:

* Florida hit two blocks in under two minutes to start the second
* Reynolds (9:26), Alexia Gassett<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/alexia-gassett/16882> (8:26)
* UF shot 62.5 percent from the field in the initial five minutes of the quarter
* Alexia Dizeko<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/alexia-dizeko/16856> and Kyle grabbed three rebounds apiece to lead Florida on the boards
* Kyle shot 100 percent from the field (3-3) and went 1-2 from the charity stripe to grab seven of UF’s 17 points
* The Gators totaled 16 rebounds

IN THE THIRD:

* UF secured a game high 28 points
* 12 of the Gators’ points were tallied inside the paint
* Kyle led on offense with 10 points shooting 100 percent from the field (2-2), and going 6-6 from the free throw line
* Me’Arah O’Neal<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/me-arah-o-neal/16879> hit Florida’s only block of the period
* Florida shot 56.3 percent from the field (9-16)

IN THE FOURTH:

* The Gators posted 23 points
* 18 of UF’s points came from inside the paint
* Florida went 10-18 from the field (55.6%)
* Warren led in scoring with nine points
* Reynolds tallied six points and distributed all three of Florida’s assists
* The game was tied six different times in the final five minutes of play

WORTH NOTING:

* Kyle hit double-digits in scoring for a sixth consecutive outing (17, 19, 12, 14, 21, 25)
* Kyle led Florida on the boards for the fifth time this season and for the 28th time as a Gator
* Reynolds had her first double-figure outing of the 2024-25 season with 14 points
* Reynolds led UF in assists for her second time as a Gator and first time in the 2024-25 season
* Warren secured three baskets from the three-point mark
* This is her third outing of the 2024-25 season with three or more three pointers
* Florida held the lead for upwards of 22 minutes in total
* The Gators tallied 46 points in the paint
* Florida finished going 19-29 in made layups
* UF out-rebounded Tulane 47-32

CAREER HIGHS:
Alexia Dizeko<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/alexia-dizeko/16856>

FG Made

at Florida St. 11/22/24, vs Florida A&M 11/07/24, vs Tulane 11/28/24

FG Attempts

at Florida St. 11/22/24, vs Tulane 11/28/24

Ra Shaya Kyle<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/ra-shaya-kyle/16858>

Points

vs Tulane 11/28/24

FT Made

vs Tulane 11/28/24

FT Attempts

vs LSU 02/19/23, at Florida St. 11/22/24, vs Tulane 11/28/24