🏀🐅 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)

🏊‍♀️ Giele Goes Back-to-Back: Alabama Freshman Captures Second Straight SEC Weekly Honor

Tessa Giele powers Alabama’s 200 medley relay into the national top five, sets a pool record, and continues a breakout freshman surge.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. | The freshman wave in Tuscaloosa is gaining serious momentum.

Tessa Giele was named Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week for the second consecutive time, the league announced Tuesday, after delivering another meet-defining performance for the Alabama Crimson Tide swimming and diving team.

Giele played a central role in Alabama’s emphatic dual-meet victory over Auburn last Friday, anchoring a record-setting 200 medley relay that now ranks fifth nationally and stands as the fastest time in the SEC this season.

The honor comes just one week after Giele claimed her first Freshman of the Week award following Alabama’s meet against Texas A&M, underscoring her rapid emergence as one of the conference’s most impactful first-year swimmers.

National Speed, Conference Statement

Swimming alongside Emily Jones, Jada Scott, and Cadence Vincent, Giele helped the Crimson Tide post a blistering 1:34.34 in the 200 medley relay — capturing the event by more than a second while also setting a new Alabama Aquatic Center record. The performance vaulted the relay into the national top five and sent a clear message ahead of the postseason stretch.

Giele wasn’t done there.

The freshman standout also claimed first place in the 100 butterfly for the second straight week, touching the wall in 51.67, more than half a second ahead of the field. Her versatility continued to shine in relay action, as she contributed to the 400 freestyle relay, which posted the fastest time of the dual meet at 3:13.22, winning by two seconds.

Individually, Giele added a second-place finish in the 50 freestyle (22.08), finishing just behind teammate Cadence Vincent to complete a loaded night for the Crimson Tide.