Aaliyah Nye makes career-high 9 3-pointers and No. 23 Alabama women beat Florida 84-66

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Aaliyah Nye made a career-high nine 3-pointers to finish with 27 points, Sarah Ashlee Barker had 18 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and three blocks, and No. 23 Alabama pulled away in the fourth quarter to beat Florida 84-66 on Thursday night.

Alabama (19-5, 6-4 Southeastern Conference) earned its first win in Gainesville since the 2020-21 season. The Crimson Tide have won three straight against Florida for the first time since 1986-88.

Alabama had its lead trimmed to 58-55 early in the fourth quarter before making nine straight shots to pull away.

Nye, who made six 3-pointers in a 72-57 win over Georgia on Sunday, set a career high with 3:25 left in the fourth quarter on her eighth 3-pointer to give Alabama a 77-61 lead. Her ninth came with 13.2 seconds left — on just her 12th attempt.

Essence Cody added 16 points and nine rebounds, and Zaay Green scored 15 for Alabama.

Liv McGill scored 22 points, reaching 20-plus for the 10th time in her career, for Florida (12-12, 3-7). Ra Shaya Kyle added 15 points and Laila Reynolds scored 14.

Cody scored 10 of Alabama's 17 first-quarter points after making all four of her shots. She missed all three of her shots in the second quarter and finished the half with 11 points to help Alabama lead 32-27.

Nye made Alabama's first three field goals of the third quarter, all from 3-point range to lead 41-38.

Alabama stays on the road to play Mississippi State on Sunday. Florida has a week off before playing at No. 2 South Carolina on Feb. 13.

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