GAINESVILLE, FL (352today.com) – UPDATE, Jan. 5: The Florida Gators women’s basketball team was no match for South Carolina’s top-ranked Gamecocks, losing 89-66 Thursday night.

South Carolina’s Te-Hina Paopao scored 17 points, Raven Johnson added 16 in the first Southeastern Conference matchup for the two.

The Gators’ Leilani Correa scored 27 points.

Florida (9-4) has lost the last 15 games against South Carolina. It’s been over a decade since the Gators last beat the Gamecocks. On January 11, 2011, in Columbia, SC, Florida defeated them 65-63.

NEXT UP: The Gators face the Vanderbilt Commodores in Nashville on January 7 at 2 p.m.

Florida guard Zippy Broughton (4) and South Carolina guard Tessa Johnson (5) rebound in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024, in Gainesville, Fla. (AP Photo/Alan Youngblood)
Florida head coach Kelly Rae Finley, left, instructs guard Aliyah Matharu (2) on the sideline. Courtesy: AP Photo/Alan Youngblood
South Carolina guard MiLaysia Fulwiley (12) passes around Florida guard Kenza Salgues. Courtesy: AP Photo/Alan Youngblood
Florida guard Leilani Correa (23) drives past South Carolina guard Tessa Johnson (5). Courtesy: AP Photo/Alan Youngblood
Florida guard Alberte Rimdal (5) guards South Carolina guard MiLaysia Fulwiley. Courtesy: AP Photo/Alan Youngblood
Florida head coach Kelly Rae Finley, right, hugs South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley, left, before the NCAA college basketball game at the O’Dome in Gainesville on Thursday. Courtesy: AP Photo/Alan Youngblood
South Carolina forward Chloe Kitts (21) collides with Florida forward Alexia Dizeko (9). Courtesy: AP Photo/Alan Youngblood

PREVIOUSLY, Jan. 4: It’s the New Year and that brings new competition for the Southeastern Conference’s (SEC) basketball teams.

The New Year kicked off conference play for all basketball teams in the SEC, and the Gators are starting theirs off Thursday evening hosting the undefeated Gamecocks who hold the number one spot in the nation.

The Gators are coming off a strong home win against Winthrop defeating them 73-36 on Saturday.

South Carolina also had a big win over East Carolina defeating them 73-36 as well.

South Carolina’s MiLaysia Fulwiley drives the ball past East Carolina’s Amiya Joyner during the second half of the game on Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023 in Greenville, N.C. Courtesy: AP Photo/ Karl B. DeBlaker

After Florida’s game, head coach Kelly Ray Finley shared in a press conference that she is proud of how her team finished up non-conference play and feels that they’ve made some big improvements with their “mindset and their approach.”

Some key players to keep an eye on for the Gators are #2 Aliyah Matharu who is averaging 19 points per game and 3.2 assists, #24 Ra Shaya Kyle who leads the team in rebounds with an average of 10.1 per game, and averages 13.3 points per game, as well as #23 Leilani Correa, a guard for the Gators who is also averaging 13.3 points per game.

Kyle says she looks forward to what’s to come with SEC play but most of all, the physicality and fun.

“I just know that it’s going to be very, very physical, and I know my team has worked really hard and prepared really hard each and every day in practice on that specifically because, I mean, these non-conference teams have been pretty physical, too.  We just know that it’s only going to get harder,” shared Kyle.

Florida who is 9-3 will be looking to defend their home territory against these Gamecocks who also won the SEC tournament last year.

If you’d like to cheer on your Gators, you can head to the O’Connell Center. Tipoff is at 7 p.m. Free tickets are available for youth, and t-shirts are available for the first 1,000 fans. Click here to purchase tickets. If you are unable to catch the game in person, you can watch on SEC Network.

Next, they’ll go on the road to face Vanderbilt this Sunday at 2:00 p.m.