🏀🐅 Auburn Women Hit the Road Seeking Florida Season Sweep as SEC Stakes Rise in Gainesville

Tigers eye history, road redemption in rematch with Gators after January defensive gem at Neville Arena

Auburn Women’s Basketball Back on the Road at Florida Thursday

A quick turnaround sends Auburn Tigers women's basketball back on the highway Thursday night with a clear objective: finish the job. Auburn travels to Gainesville to face Florida Gators women's basketball at 6 p.m. CT inside the Stephen C. O’Connell Center, aiming for a season sweep and a potential momentum shift in SEC play.

The Tigers (13-10, 2-7 SEC) already own the blueprint. In the first meeting on Jan. 11, Auburn clamped down defensively to earn a 60–50 victory, holding Florida to a season-low point total. That performance wasn’t a one-off—Auburn has limited eight of nine SEC opponents below their season scoring averages, signaling a defensive identity that travels.

Florida (13-11, 1-8) enters after a brutal stretch of three straight games against top-10 opponents, most recently a road loss to No. 5 Vanderbilt. The Gators remain dangerous, however, led by prolific guard Liv McGill, the SEC’s second-leading scorer, and interior presence Me’Arah O’Neal on the glass.

On the Air

• Radio: ESPN 106.7 FM with Brit Bowen (5:45 p.m. CT pregame); also on AuburnTigers.com and the Auburn Athletics app
• TV/Streaming: SEC Network Plus (Ryan Urquhart, Brittany Davis)

Last Time Out

Auburn is looking to respond after a tough night against No. 13 Ole Miss, where cold shooting and a rebounding deficit led to a 71–45 setback in Birmingham. The Tigers shot 32.1 percent and were out-rebounded 51–23—numbers they’ll be eager to flip on Thursday.

What an Auburn Win Would Mean

• A season sweep of Florida
• Auburn’s first SEC season sweep since 2018–19 (Alabama)
• Snapping an 11-game SEC road skid—dating back to the Tigers’ last trip to Gainesville (March 3, 2024)

Series Snapshot

Thursday marks the 70th all-time meeting. Auburn leads 42–27 overall and 14–13 in Gainesville, having won four straight regular-season matchups.

The January Formula

In the Jan. 11 win, Auburn survived a 19–0 Florida run, then closed with poise—making nine of 10 free throws in the fourth quarter. Harissoum Coulibaly and Kaitlyn Duhon paced the Tigers with 14 points apiece, while Mya Petticord added 11. Ja’Mia Harris nearly posted a double-double and anchored late-game composure.

Scouting Florida

The Gators average 74.3 points per game while allowing 65.9, and the 50-point output in Auburn remains their lone SEC outing below 60. McGill (22.5 ppg, 5.9 apg) drives the offense, with O’Neal (6.8 rpg) supplying rebounding muscle.

Scouting Auburn

True freshman Harissoum Coulibaly (11.0 ppg; 49.3% FG) has been a steady scorer since moving into the starting lineup. Duhon (9.3 ppg) is among the SEC’s elite perimeter defenders, ranking third in steals and top-15 nationally. Khady Leye (8.8 ppg, 4.9 rpg) brings interior consistency, while Harris’ 92.3% free-throw mark in league play looms large in tight games. Veteran shot-making from Petticord and backcourt balance from A’riel Jackson, Syriah Daniels, and others round out a group built to defend, share, and close.

Up Next

Auburn returns home Sunday for a marquee test as No. 5 LSU visits Neville Arena (1 p.m. CT, SEC Network).

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-- By Andréa Mochida

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