Florida women’s basketball has gotten off to a strong start under first-year head coach Tammi Reiss, and the Gators will look to keep their undefeated record intact when they return to Gainesville Thursday.
The Gators will host South Florida at the O'Connell Center for their first match since rebranding the venue to Tower Hill Arena, with tipoff scheduled for 6 p.m. ET. A victory would give Florida its first 4-0 start under Reiss and make this year’s squad just the eighth team in program history to open a season with four consecutive wins.
Florida enters the matchup riding momentum from victories over Bucknell, UCF and Chattanooga, with third-year guard Kiyomi McMiller emerging as one of the nation’s most productive scorers.
McMiller is averaging
29.7 points per game through her first three appearances, the best scoring start in program history and the second-highest average nationally as of Nov. 10. Her impressive opening stretch earned her Associated Press National Player of the Week honorable mention recognition and SEC Co-Player of the Week honors.
However, McMiller hasn’t been the only Gator making an impact.
Third-year Vivian Iwuchukwu has provided an efficient scoring presence inside, averaging 19.5 points over her last two games while shooting 75% from the field, which is leading the SEC.
Meanwhile, fourth-year Jade Weathersby has helped Florida establish a strong presence on the glass, recording consecutive double-digit rebounding performances with 11 against UCF and 12 at Chattanooga.
As a team, Florida is outscoring opponents by an average of 19.7 points per game while holding a 14.7-rebound advantage. Defensively, the Gators have limited opponents to 38.6% shooting from the field.
Their early-season rise has also started to attract national attention, with Florida receiving votes in both the Associated Press Top 25 and USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll. The Gators received the 31st-most votes in the AP poll and the 38th-most in the coaches poll.
The Bulls are led by first-year head coach Kristy Curry, who spent the previous 13 seasons at Alabama. Curry brings considerable SEC experience to South Florida, having guided the Crimson Tide to five NCAA Tournament appearances over her final six seasons in Tuscaloosa.
The Gators have historically controlled the matchup, holding a 35-4 all-time record against the Bulls in officially recognized games.
The programs haven’t met since March 16, 2010, when Florida earned a 61-54 victory in the opening round of the Women’s National Invitation Tournament.
A Thursday win would improve Florida’s all-time record against South Florida to 36-4 and make Reiss just the second head coach in program history to win her first four games leading the Gators.
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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Florida women's basketball looks to stay hot against South Florida
