Why Liv McGill Could Lead Florida Gators Women's Basketball to National Prominence

Sophomore Liv McGill leads the SEC in scoring through five games.

Florida guard Liv McGill (23) is off to a strong start in his sophomore season with the Gators. | Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Florida Gators sophomore guard Liv McGill is blazing a trail in Gainesville.

The prolific scorer leads the SEC with 25.8 points a game on 49.4 percent shooting, connecting on 40 percent of her 3-pointers. Despite an upset loss to Navy, McGill's Gators sit at 4-1, looking for their first NCAA Tournament berth since 2022.

If the team succeeds, it will be largely because of how McGill dominates games.

No Flash in the Pan

Earlier this season, McGill joined NBA legend Dwyane Wade as the only two players at either the Division I or professional level to tally at least 60 points, 15 rebounds, 15 assists and ten steals over a two-game span. No one—not Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Caitlin Clark, or Maya Moore—can claim that stat line.

Against North Florida and Chattanooga, McGill totaled 64 points, 17 rebounds, 19 assists, and 12 steals.

HER.

(per @OptaSTATS) pic.twitter.com/2ZLPUG4Adi

— Gators Women’s Basketball (@GatorsWBK) November 7, 2025

Facilitator

While McGill takes 19.5 shots a game, she averages 7.6 assists, nearly five more than any of her teammates. The sophomore sees the court well and understands the flow of the offense, watching how the defense rotates and trying to get her teammates involved. Anyone can pass the ball; it's a basic part of the game.

#HoopHeroines 5-5-5 Club Member:
Liv McGill | @GatorsWBK

25.8 points
5.8 rebounds
7.3 assists
40.1 Player Efficiency Rating
129.2 Player Offensive Rating
64.2 Player Defensive Rating
+65.0 Net Rating pic.twitter.com/Z8aMe5anFa

— HoopHeroines (@hoopheroines) November 16, 2025

However, McGill's accuracy and timing set her apart. Her passes hit teammates in stride or let them catch and shoot without slowing down, much like a quarterback leading a receiver on a timing route. Her court awareness is an important component of establishing pace. The Gators average 86.2 points per game, ranking 28th in Division 1.

Defender

People often focus on McGill's scoring, but she doesn't relax on defense or allow her opponents to get comfortable on offense. Instead, she applies various defensive techniques. Sometimes, she picks up the dribbler near half court, pressuring and attempting to take the ball away.

Other times, she sits back and plays the passing lanes, cutting off opportunities to move the ball. Hidden beneath the scoring is the stingy UF defense. Opponents score 55.8 points and shoot 37 percent from the field.

Future

With ten games left before their SEC opener on Jan. 1, McGill and the Gators can gain momentum by winning six or seven matchups and improving their postseason resume. Still, McGill needs to maintain her strong start, as the Florida offense runs through her and depends not only on her scoring but also on her ability to get teammates involved in the game's flow.

Florida hopes to join the ranks of schools with successful men's and women's teams, and McGill will be key for that to happen.