Auburn Rallies Past Florida in SEC Women’s Basketball

AUBURN, Ala. (Interstat) — The Auburn Tigers used a dominant fourth quarter and capitalized on a cascade of Florida turnovers to secure a 60-50 victory in a Southeastern Conference women’s basketball game Sunday at Auburn Arena.

In a contest defined by defensive pressure and offensive struggles, Auburn outscored Florida 22-11 in the final period to pull away before a crowd of 4,095. The Tigers improved to 12-6 overall, while the Gators fell to 12-7.

The game’s pivotal stretch came late in the third quarter and extended into the fourth, turning a narrow Auburn lead into a decisive advantage. Leading 38-36 entering the final period, the Tigers opened with a 6-0 run, capped by a Kaitlyn Duhon layup with 9:15 remaining. Florida, which committed 18 turnovers, saw its offensive woes reach a critical point during this span, managing just two free throws over the first five minutes of the quarter.

Auburn’s ability to convert Florida’s mistakes into points was the ultimate difference. The Tigers scored 25 points off turnovers, compared to just six for the Gators. This margin proved insurmountable on a day where both teams shot under 41% from the field. Auburn finished at 40.7% on 22-of-54 shooting, while Florida was held to 38% on 19-of-50.

The Tigers were led by a balanced offensive effort. Ja’Mia Harris, despite an off shooting afternoon, filled the stat sheet with nine rebounds and four assists. Kaitlyn Duhon of Houston and Harissoum Coulibaly of Paris each scored 14 points, with Duhon adding six rebounds, four assists and a block. Coulibaly’s activity was also key defensively, contributing three steals.

Florida was paced by Liv McGill of Minneapolis, who scored 14 points and dished out four assists. Me’Arah O’Neal of Houston posted 11 points and eight rebounds, while Nyadieng Yiech of Calgary added nine points.

The game began with Auburn establishing early control, taking a 16-8 lead after the first quarter behind eight quick points from Coulibaly. Florida responded forcefully in the second quarter, outscoring the Tigers 19-7. A 13-2 Gators run, fueled by five points from McGill and a three-pointer from Yiech, gave Florida its largest lead at 27-23 late in the half. Auburn’s Harissoum Coulibaly found Kaitlyn Duhon for a three-pointer at the halftime buzzer to trim Florida’s lead to 27-23 at the break.

The third quarter was a tense, back-and-forth affair featuring five lead changes. Auburn regained the lead midway through the period and entered the fourth with a two-point edge before unleashing the game-deciding run.

Beyond the turnover disparity, Auburn held advantages in key efficiency metrics. The Tigers posted an offensive rating of 93.6 points per 100 possessions, significantly better than Florida’s 77.9. Auburn also made two more three-pointers and three more free throws than the Gators, who went 7-for-13 from the line.

The win gives Auburn momentum heading into a Thursday home game against Alabama. Florida, which has now lost three straight conference games, will look to regroup on the road at Kentucky on Thursday.