The Florida Gators are ready to go with a mix of experience and newcomers that love to play.

By Loren Meadows, GatorBaitMedia.com

Basketball Coach Kelly Rae Finley (UAA photo)

Prior to Wednesday night’s 93-43 exhibition win over the Florida Southern University Mocs at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center, Florida coach Kelly Rae Finley described her team as a group of women that “truly love the game.” Her comments aren't to say that this team is more committed than the previous two, but simply a representation of the counting cultural change that is being built in Gainesville.

The Gators had six players in double figures while shooting almost fifty percent from the field. The Gators dominated the Mocs on the glass 51-27, adding six blocks, and committing just six turnovers. They held Florida Southern to fewer than 10 points in both the second (8) and fourth (6) quarters.

Here is look at the Florida roster for year three of the Kelly Rae Finley era.

Probable Starters: G Aliyah Matharu, G Aberte Rimdal, G Leilani Correa, F Faith Dut, C Ra Shaya Kyle

Reserves: G Zippy Broughton, G Laila Reynolds, F Eriny Kindred, G Jeriah Warren, G Kenza Salgues, G Alexia Dizeko, G Paige Clausen

#2 Aliyah Matharu (5-7, Senior): The Texas transfer was impressive in her Gator debut. Matharu was 10-19 from the field scoring 20 points, with three assists and six steals. Slated to be the team’s starting point guard, Matharu brings defensive tenacity to a team making defense and scoring in transition a priority. Matharu was one of the best three-point shooters in the Big 12 as a junior shooting more than 42 percent from behind the arc. She was also fourth in the conference in steals that season.

#5 Alberte Rimdal (5-9, Junior): The addition of Matharu should free up the sharp shooting guard to play off the ball more this season and find open space on the perimeter. Rimdal and Matharu played very well together on Wednesday with Rimdal cashing in on 50 percent of her three-point attempts in the game. A year more mature and stronger after spending time with the Danish national team this summer Rimdal should be one of the top shooters in the SEC.

#23 Leilani Correa (6-0, Senior): Correa returns to give the Gators a playmaker on the wing. Correa averaged 11.8 points last season after a 1,000-point career at St. Johns. After dealing with lower body injuries a year ago, Correa looks primed to have possibly her best collegiate season. Correa is a volume scorer who hit 24 points twice last year and has eclipsed 30 points nine times in her career. Correa’s ability to play off the dribble and move without the basketball puts constant pressure on opposing defenses and adds versatility to the Gators attack.

#25 Faith Dut (6-4, Senior): Dut is one of the team's emotional leaders in addition to her shot blocking and rebounding abilities. With more than 80 starts for the Gators, Dut is a career 45 percent shooter who can knock down 3-pointers. A Vancouver, Canada native Dut is an athletic forward with the ability to defend all areas of the floor and runs extremely well in transition.

#24 Ra Shaya Kyle (6-6, Senior): “Big Shay” could possibly be the most improved player this season. Kyle has improved her physique, footwork and speed in the offseason and is poised for a big year. Kyle shot nearly 50 percent from the field and 70 percent from the line a year ago, numbers that should improve this season.

#4 Zippy Broughton (5-7, Senior): Broughton was sorely missed last season when an upper body injury forced her to miss the entire year. Her return adds a scoring option and a valuable team leader. “Zippy da Hippie” averaged double figure against SEC opponents in 2022 including 11 straight games of 10 or more in conference play. Broughton brings athleticism as well as the ability to score inside or outside. She has a game with six 3-pointers on her Florida her resume. When healthy Broughton has the ability to be one of the best combo guards in the SEC.

#13 Laila Reynolds (6-1, Freshman): The 19th-ranked player in the 2023 recruiting class, Reynolds was a McDonalds All-American as a high school senior. She is an athletic wing who can initiate the offense and affect the game defensively as well. Reynolds scored 11 points in her Gator debut. She can get to the basket off the bounce and create her own shots. Reynolds is also a willing rebounder who will continue to improve as the game slows down for her.

#20 Jeriah Warren (6-0, Junior): Defense is Warren's calling card. An athletic, intelligent defender, she is often assigned to take on the opponents' leading wing scorer. Warren snagged eight rebounds in 19 minutes in Wednesdays exhibition. Warren averaged 17 points per game in high school and has shown improvement in her offensive game this offseason.

#6 Kenza Salgues­ (5-9, Graduate): The French-born Salgues brings four years of collegiate experience to the Florida program. A fifth-year transfer for the University of Miami, Salgues has battled injuries throughout her career. Now healthy, Salgues is very adept at communicating with her teammates on both ends of the floor and is not afraid to take open shots when given the opportunity.

#21 Eriny Kindred (6-1, Junior): A transfer from Texas A&M, Kindred played in 28 games for the Aggies last season, scoring 77 points. Kindred is a two-way player that can defend all five positions on the floor and score outside and inside the paint.

#9 Alexia Dizeko (5-11, Junior): Originally from Switzerland, Dizeko was a member of the Angola national team in the 2019 FIBA AfroBasket Tournament. A juco transfer, Dizeko was the 2023 WBCA Division II player of the year. A career 33 percent three-point shooter, Dizeko gives the Gators another athlete that can spread the floor and score in transition.

#22 Paige Clausen (6-0, Junior): A former walk-on, Clausen earned a scholarship following the 2022-2023 season. Clausen averaged a double-double as a high school senior scoring 22.7 points and grabbing 10.9 rebounds a game.

Florida guard Zippy Broughton (UAA photo)

Quotables

Aaliyah Matharu on the Gators team chemistry and love for the game: “We have an organic chemistry and it just flows so well together. I feel like we all just have that love for the game, it really just shows on the floor.”

Matharu’s thoughts on 5-star freshman Laila Reynolds: “It will be a scary sight once it clicks for her.”All we can do is motivate her the best we can.”

Final Thoughts: With the commitment of 5-star point guard Alivia McGill (Hopkins, MN), Coach Kelly Rae Finley has been able to attract a 5-star recruit to Gainesville for the second straight year. Finley has also done a great job attracting and developing international talent as represented by the improvement of both Dut and Rimdal. If Florida can stay healthy and get Broughton back by the conference season, this team is very capable of finishing in the top half of the SEC and making the NCAA tournament. Coach Finley is making Florida relevant again assembling an experienced staff that is good on the floor and on the recruiting trail. The addition of WNBA star and Olympian Rhyne Howard to the staff bolsters the group even more. If a couple more recruiting targets find their way to Gainesville look for the Gators to take the next step in the near future.

The Gators open the 2023-2024 season at home against North Florida on November 6th at 5:30 p.m.