GAINESVILLE, Fla. (Interstat) — Liv McGill scored 28 points and dished out eight assists, leading the Florida Gators to a 74-67 victory over the Mississippi Rebels in a Southeastern Conference women’s basketball clash Thursday night at the O’Connell Center.

In a game defined by a decisive second-quarter surge from the home team, Florida improved to 17-13 overall. Mississippi, which entered as a significant favorite according to advanced metrics, saw its three-game winning streak snapped and fell to 21-9.

The contest was a tightly contested affair through the opening period, with Mississippi holding a narrow 17-16 lead after one quarter. The dynamic of the game shifted dramatically in the second frame. The Gators, fueled by McGill’s orchestration, erupted for 24 points while clamping down defensively to limit the Rebels. A key 10-2 run midway through the quarter, featuring five points from McGill and a three-pointer from Nyadieng Yiech, turned a one-point deficit into a 34-27 Florida advantage. The Gators carried a 40-37 lead into halftime, having established a cushion they would never fully relinquish.

The most important part of the game was Florida’s ability to consistently answer every Mississippi push in the second half. Every time the Rebels drew close, the Gators had a response, often authored by McGill. When Tianna Thompson’s three-pointer pulled Mississippi within 49-47 late in the third quarter, Laila Reynolds answered with two free throws. When Thompson struck again from deep to cut the lead to 65-64 with just over five minutes remaining in the game, McGill immediately found Reynolds for a layup on the ensuing possession to spark a critical 7-0 Florida run.

McGill, a 5-foot-9 guard from Minneapolis, was the engine for the Gators, playing 39 minutes and efficiently controlling the tempo. Her 28 points and eight assists marked another stellar performance in a string of them, following a 30-point effort against Mississippi State and a 19-point, 8-assist game against Alabama. She received strong support from Laila Reynolds, who added 14 points, and a balanced frontcourt effort where Jade Weathersby, Me’Arah O’Neal and Gift Ezekial combined for 23 points.

Mississippi was led by the prolific scoring of Tianna Thompson, who poured in 25 points, including five three-pointers. Cotie McMahon contributed 15 points and Christeen Iwuala added 10 points and a key defensive presence. The Rebels, however, were hampered by stretches of offensive stagnation and could not string together enough stops to overtake the Gators in the final twenty minutes.

Florida sealed the game at the free-throw line in the final minute. After a Thompson three-pointer brought Mississippi within 72-67 with 52 seconds left, McGill was fouled and made both free throws to extend the lead back to seven and effectively end the contest.

The Gators’ victory was a notable upset, as pregame projections gave the Rebels a 75.4 percent chance to win. The combined point total of 141 fell under the betting over/under line of 139.5. An announced crowd of 1,681 watched the game.

Florida will look to build on the momentum when it travels to face Georgia on Sunday. Mississippi returns home to host Texas A&M, also on Sunday.