STARKVILLE, Miss. (Interstat) — The Florida women’s basketball team built a commanding early lead and never looked back, defeating Mississippi State 71-56 in a Southeastern Conference game Thursday night at Humphrey Coliseum.

The Gators (16-12) opened with a 24-point first quarter and led 43-30 at halftime, stifling the Lady Bulldogs (18-9) throughout. Florida’s defense forced 17 turnovers and held Mississippi State to 1-for-12 shooting from 3-point range.

Liv McGill led all scorers with 30 points for Florida. Madison Francis scored 20 points for Mississippi State before an announced crowd of 3,582. The Lady Bulldogs, pregame favorites, shot just 37.5% from the field.