Alabama
Florida
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (02/21/2026) — Jessica Timmons erupted for a career-high 34 points, leading a critical fourth-quarter comeback to give the No. 25 Alabama Crimson Tide a hard-fought 76-71 road victory over the Florida Gators on Saturday.
How It Happened
The Crimson Tide stormed out of the gates, hitting three early 3-pointers to build a 9-2 lead just minutes into the contest. Timmons and fellow standout Ta'Mia Scott, who finished with a new career-best 21 points, set the tone with sharp shooting from the perimeter. Alabama pushed its advantage to as many as 12 points in the second quarter, entering halftime with a 38-32 lead.
Florida, however, refused to back down in front of a home crowd of 2,351 at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center. The Gators mounted a ferocious rally late in the third quarter, ripping off a 12-0 run to seize a 58-54 lead heading into the final frame. Liv McGill was instrumental for the Gators, scoring seven points during that pivotal stretch and finishing the game with 19 points and eight assists.
Turning Point
The game's decisive moments came midway through the fourth quarter. After Florida took its last lead at 68-66 with five minutes remaining, Timmons took over. The Alabama guard was unstoppable, hitting a go-ahead 3-pointer and converting a three-point play to cap an 8-0 run that put the Crimson Tide ahead 74-68 with just 1:24 left on the clock. She would add two final free throws, scoring Alabama's last eight points to seal the crucial conference win.
Star of the Game
Without question, Jessica Timmons was the difference-maker. Her career-best 34 points came on an incredibly efficient 11-for-17 shooting from the field, including a blistering 7-for-10 from three-point range. Scott provided a powerful secondary scoring punch with her 21 points. For the Gators, four players scored in double figures, with Jade Weathersby (13), Laila Reynolds (12), and Nyadieng Yiech (10) joining McGill.
What It Means
For the Alabama Crimson Tide, the victory snaps a frustrating three-game losing streak and improves their record to 21-7 overall and 7-7 in the rugged Southeastern Conference. The win was a testament to their offensive firepower, as they shot a blistering 54% from the field and 52% from beyond the arc.
The Florida Gators, despite a significant 37-28 rebounding advantage, fall to 16-13 on the season and 4-10 in conference play. The loss stings, but the balanced scoring attack and third-quarter resilience demonstrated their ability to compete with ranked opponents.