Reiss Debut: Gators Rout Bucknell 83-60 in Gainesville
Kiyomi McMiller scored 31 points while Vanessa Harris posted a career-high 26 in Florida's season opener.
By Aiko Soto ·
Head coach Tammi Reiss started her tenure at Florida with an 83-60 victory over Bucknell on Monday night. The Gators controlled the game at the Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center, outscoring the veteran Bison squad in every phase of play.
The offense functioned as a unit, but two guards drove the scoring. Freshman Kiyomi McMiller led the team with 31 points. Her performance marked the start of a high-scoring backcourt pairing for the season.
Vanessa Harris provided the second half of that scoring duo. Entering the game without a 20-point collegiate performance in her record, the junior guard changed her statistical profile. She finished with a career-high 26 points on 11-of-16 shooting from the floor. She also converted three of her five attempts from beyond the three-point line.
Florida’s team shooting reached 55 percent from the field. The Gators prioritized interior attacks, moving the ball to the paint consistently against Bucknell’s defense. This interior focus compensated for a streaky three-point shooting night.
The Gators enter Thursday’s game with a 1-0 record. They will host in-state rival UCF at the O’Dome. Tip-off is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.
