Gators Women’s Basketball Hosts Texas Tech in WBIT Quarterfinals

The Florida women’s basketball team faces Texas Tech Thursday night in the 2025 Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament quarterfinals. As the No. 3 seed, the Gators have the advantage of hosting the matchup. This is Florida’s first appearance in the quarterfinals.

The two teams have only faced each other once before, dating back to December 2018. The matchup in Gainesville ended in a 72-67 victory for the Gators and started the all-time series in their favor.

A Look into the Second Round

Texas Tech (19-17) upset the No. 1 overall seed in the tournament, Virginia Tech, with a 69-59 victory on Sunday. The Lady Raiders took the lead from the start and were unwilling to let the Hokies have the advantage on their home court. The win proved that the team, although not seeded in the tournament, should not be overlooked.

Florida (18-17) was also victorious on Sunday, defeating No. 2 UNLV thanks to a buzzer-beater from senior guard Kenza Salgues. Although the Gators were trailing for 33 minutes of the game, the 3-pointer at the buzzer did just enough for Florida to retake the lead in an 86-84 win. The result also marked the first time in program history that the Gators women’s basketball team beat UNLV.

kenza at the buzzer!!! #GoGators | @wbitwbb pic.twitter.com/cE9Y3PS0Xt

— Gators Women’s Basketball (@GatorsWBK) March 24, 2025

Thursday Night Matchup

Junior guard Jasmine Shavers is a player to look out for on the Texas Tech roster. Against Virginia Tech, the all-around player tallied 16 points and had 100% accuracy from the free-throw line (7-7). She also led the team defensively with seven rebounds.

However, the Gators have come alive in the WBIT, with different players making an impact on the scoreboard. Against UNLV, four players had double digits in scoring: Liv McGill (22), Jeriah Warren (21), Salgues (13) and Laila Reynolds (10). Defensively, the team was lead by Alexia Gassett and Ra Shaya Kyle, each with seven rebounds.

The Gators have proven that they are a team worth paying attention to. If a number of players can be aggressive in scoring and defend the ball, the game should end in a victory for Florida.

Game Time

Both teams are riding the wave of momentum-shifting wins and looking to keep advancing in the WBIT.

Florida hosts Texas Tech at the O’Dome with tip-off set for 6 p.m. The game is available for streaming on ESPN+.

tickets! ️: https://t.co/LWIcmVh69r#GoGators https://t.co/RYyKJ6gnk9

— Gators Women’s Basketball (@GatorsWBK) March 24, 2025