GAINESVILLE, Fla. โ In a noteworthy matchup on Thursday evening, the No. 15 Kentucky Wildcats triumphed over the Florida Gators with a score of 71-55. Georgia Amoore led the charge for Kentucky, contributing 18 points and four steals, while Dazia Lawrence added 14 points alongside four successful three-point shots.
Kentucky made a strong start, claiming the first seven points of the game. A three-point play executed by Amoore pushed the lead to 10-2. They continued to dominate, launching an 8-0 run that extended into the second quarter, culminating in a commanding 25-10 advantage. Lawrenceโs third three-pointer of the night brought the score to 30-12 with just over six minutes left in the first half.
Amoore was instrumental in building a significant first-half lead, finishing with 14 points by halftime, and helping Kentucky to a 41-19 lead at the break. As the third quarter progressed, she came close to reaching the 20-point mark for the seventh consecutive game, scoring her final points of the night with 5:28 remaining in the period.
Despite Kentucky maintaining a lead of over 20 points for most of the third quarter, Floridaโs Laila Reynolds culminated the quarter by scoring the last six points for her team, which narrowed Kentuckyโs lead to 56-37.
Additional contributions for Kentucky included Clara Strack, who recorded 12 points and eight rebounds, further solidifying the teamโs performance (14-1, 3-0 SEC). On the other side, Florida (10-7, 1-2 SEC) had Reynolds as their top scorer with 15 points. Jeriah Warren added 13 points to the tally, and Liv McGill chipped in with 10 points; however, Ra Shaya Kyle, who normally averages 15.9 points per game, struggled, managing to score just four points in the second half.
Florida was looking to secure its first victory against a ranked opponent since 2022. Both teams will be back in action this Sunday, with Kentucky set to host Auburn, while Florida will travel to face Missouri.