GAINESVILLE, Fla. (Interstat) — The Florida Gators defeated the Missouri Tigers 89-71 in a Southeastern Conference women’s basketball game Sunday at O’Connell Center. Florida guard Liv McGill scored 28 points, adding nine rebounds and seven assists to power the Gators. Missouri’s Grace Slaughter led all scorers with 29 points, and teammate Shannon Dowell added 23. Florida established control with a 26-point first quarter and maintained a double-digit lead throughout. Both teams are now 13-8 overall. Attendance was 1,824.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (Interstat) — Liv McGill scored 28 points and orchestrated a dominant first-quarter surge that propelled the Florida Gators to an 89-71 victory over the Missouri Tigers in a Southeastern Conference women’s basketball game Sunday at the O’Connell Center. The Gators, improving to 13-8 overall and in league play, seized control from the opening tip and never trailed. Missouri, which also moved to 13-8, struggled to match Florida’s early intensity and offensive efficiency. The most critical phase of the game unfolded in the first quarter, where Florida built an insurmountable lead. The Gators raced to a 26-8 advantage after the opening period, shooting a blistering 11 for 18 from the field while holding the Tigers to just 3-for-15 shooting. McGill, a 5-foot-9 guard from Minneapolis, was the catalyst, scoring 11 points in the quarter and assisting on several other baskets as Florida’s offense operated with precision. McGill finished with a near triple-double, adding nine rebounds and seven assists to her game-high 28 points in 37 minutes. Her performance was a decisive rebound from a recent stretch where the Gators had lost three consecutive conference games. She spearheaded a Florida attack that scored 38 points in the paint and converted 19 points off Missouri turnovers. Missouri’s top scorers, Grace Slaughter and Shannon Dowell, fought to keep their team within reach. Slaughter, a 6-2 sophomore from Grain Valley, Missouri, scored 29 points, while Dowell, a 5-10 guard from O’Fallon, Illinois, added 23. Their efforts helped the Tigers win the second quarter 21-19 and match Florida’s output in the third and fourth quarters, but the early deficit proved too large to overcome. The Gators’ offensive balance was overwhelming. Alongside McGill, Me’Arah O’Neal scored 17 points, Alexia Dizeko added 16, and Laila Reynolds contributed 14. Florida shot 53% from the field (34 of 64) and 40% from three-point range (10 of 25). Their offensive rating of 120.1 points per 100 possessions far outpaced Missouri’s 102.4. Missouri shot 40% overall (22 of 55) but was hampered by nine turnovers in the first half and an inability to contain Florida’s interior game. The Tigers did force 11 Florida turnovers and shot 19 of 26 from the free-throw line, but were outrebounded 38-30. The victory allowed Florida to snap its three-game skid and even its conference record. Missouri, coming off a 94-69 win over Arkansas, saw its two-game winning streak halted. Florida next travels to face LSU on Monday, Jan. 26. Missouri returns home to host Mississippi on Thursday, Jan. 22. An announced crowd of 1,824 watched the game at the O’Connell Center. Florida covered the pregame spread as a 5.5-point favorite, and the total score of 160 surpassed the over/under line of 143.5.

Preview: Missouri Tigers at Florida Gators GAINESVILLE, Fla. (Interstat) — Two Southeastern Conference women’s basketball teams looking to build momentum will meet Sunday when the Missouri Tigers visit the Florida Gators at the O’Connell Center. Missouri (13-7) arrives after a dominant 94-69 home victory over Arkansas on Thursday, snapping a four-game losing streak. The Tigers’ offense erupted, with Jordana Reisma scoring 21 points and Shannon Dowell adding 17. The focal point, however, remains guard Chloe Sotell, who tallied 16 points and seven assists in the win. Sotell has been a consistent contributor, averaging a near double-double in her last seven games, including a 23-point performance against Missouri-Kansas City and an 11-point, 13-rebound outing versus North Alabama. Florida (12-8) seeks to end its own skid, having dropped five consecutive games. The Gators fell 94-89 at Kentucky on Thursday despite a 20-point, 11-assist double-double from dynamic guard Liv McGill and 23 points from Me’Arah O’Neal. McGill has been a bright spot during the losing streak, averaging 20.1 points and 6.4 assists over her last seven contests. She scored a season-high 32 points in a loss at Tennessee on Jan. 1. The matchup features two of the SEC’s top playmakers in Sotell and McGill, whose ability to create for themselves and others will be critical. Missouri will aim to capitalize on its renewed confidence from the Arkansas win, while Florida desperately needs a conference victory to steady its season. The Tigers hold a narrow edge in the overall season record, but both teams have faced recent struggles in league play. Missouri’s challenge will be translating its home offensive surge to the road, while Florida must find a way to close out a tight game after several narrow conference losses. Sunday’s contest is the only scheduled meeting between the programs this regular season. Following this game, Missouri will host Mississippi on Jan. 22, while Florida travels to face LSU on Jan. 26. Tip-off is set for Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026, at the O’Connell Center in Gainesville.