GREENVILLE, S.C. — In a competitive matchup on the opening day of the SEC Tournament, Ra Shaya Kyle’s double-double performance led the 11th-seeded Florida Gators to a 60-50 victory over the 14th-seeded Auburn Tigers. With this win, Florida advances to face sixth-seeded Alabama in the tournament’s second round.
Auburn’s Celia Sumbane scored a crucial basket in the paint, narrowing the Tigers’ deficit to just two points at 50-48 with two and a half minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. However, Florida soon responded as Liv McGill completed a three-point play, extending the Gators’ lead to 55-48 with around a minute left to play.
In the game’s final moments, Laila Reynolds and Kenza Salgues secured the victory for Florida by each sinking two free throws, expanding the lead to 59-49. With 53 seconds on the clock, Reynolds’ efforts reinforced the Gators’ position, and Salgues cemented it with her shots at 34 seconds remaining.
Contributing to the win, Jeriah Warren scored 14 points, while Reynolds added 12 and McGill chipped in 11. McGill also contributed eight assists and six rebounds to Florida’s overall performance. Despite shooting only 35% from the field, the Gators capitalized on their opportunities, making an impressive 21 of 23 free throws.
For Auburn, DeYona Gaston led her team with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Yuting Deng added to the scoresheet with 10 points, but collectively, the Tigers struggled with their shooting, completing just 30% of their attempts.
The game saw a tense third quarter where Auburn managed to tie the score with a jumper from Jordan Hunter and then took a 38-36 lead following a layup from Gaston. Nonetheless, Florida responded by scoring six unanswered points in the final two minutes to close the period with a 44-40 advantage.
The first quarter featured dynamic exchanges, seeing five lead changes before Florida edged ahead with a 19-16 lead. The second quarter featured tighter defenses, with Auburn slightly outscoring Florida 9-8. At halftime, Florida maintained a slim 27-25 advantage.
