Kiyomi McMiller didn’t just have a big night Thursday. She put herself in rare Florida company.
The transfer guard poured in 42 points as the Gators rolled past UCF 95-65 in Gainesville, giving first-year coach Tammi Reiss a 2-0 start built around a scorer who kept finding answers. McMiller knocked down 7 of 10 from 3-point range and delivered a performance only three Florida players have topped: Quientella Bonner with 45 in 1977, Merlakia Jones with 44 in 1995 and Ronni Williams with 43 in 2017.
McMiller, a 5-foot-9 transfer from Penn State and a former McDonald’s All-American from Silver Springs, Maryland, followed up her 31-point outing in Florida’s 83-60 win over Bucknell on Monday. By halftime against UCF, she already had 21 points on 7-of-13 shooting. She doubled that total before exiting to a standing ovation from the O’Dome crowd.
“It was pretty special,” Reiss said. “When you shoot seven for 10 efficiency, and your mid-range (game) is your bread and butter, you can get to the rim when you’re hitting the 3. There’s really nothing a defense can do other than change coverage.”
Florida used McMiller’s burst to break open a game that was still within reach early in the second quarter. The Gators led 25-21 before ripping off a 13-0 run to go up 34-21, with McMiller scoring five points during that stretch. From there, UCF spent much of the night trying to keep up.
The Knights, now 1-1, got 20 points and seven rebounds from center Mahogany Chandler-Roberts and 18 points plus four assists from guard Vittoria Blasigh. Florida had plenty of support around McMiller, too. Vivian Iwuchukwu scored 20 points and hit 7 of 8 shots, while Vanessa Harris added nine points, 11 rebounds and four assists.
Still, the night belonged to McMiller, whose scoring outburst has quickly become the centerpiece of Reiss’ rebuild. The message from the guard was as direct as her production.
“Just keep going until they stop it,” McMiller said.
Iwuchukwu, a 6-foot-3 transfer from USC, had already seen this version of McMiller before. She was on the floor last season when McMiller scored 40 points in Penn State’s 85-82 upset over USC on Feb.
- Asked which game was better, Iwuchukwu didn’t need long.
“This one,” she said, with a smile.
McMiller’s own description of the team’s approach matched the way Florida played all night.
“Our mindset was don’t stop,” she said. “Just keep attacking, attacking, attacking. We want to beat them by 100 if we can.”
Florida heads to Chattanooga on Sunday with McMiller carrying the offense and the Gators already looking dangerous.
In Other News...
Kansas Faces A Troubling QB Question As UCF Gets A Lift
UCF is getting a timely boost at quarterback as it prepares for Kansas, with Alonza Barnett III expected to be back in the mix after working his way through a hamstring injury. The Knights have been piecing things together under center since Keyone Jenkins aggravated an ankle injury against Baylor, and Barnetts return would give the offense a much-needed stabilizing presence heading into a game that suddenly carries more intrigue on both sides.
The roster news is not all positive for UCF, though, with offensive lineman Owen Spell and defensive tackle RJ Jackson Jr. out for the rest of the regular season because of injuries. Even so, the bigger storyline may be on the other sideline, where Kansas is dealing with its own quarterback uncertainty as Isaiah Marshall, Cole Ballard and Chase Jenkins are all listed as questionable. That leaves both teams waiting on answers at the most important position on the field. [Read more 🡒]
UCF Faces A Sneaky Early Test Against A Team Fans Rarely See
Yales visit to Orlando gives UCF an early nonconference test against a program Knights fans almost never see, and it comes with a little extra intrigue because the Bulldogs already have a season-opening win under their belt. Yale is led by longtime coach James Jones and brings a familiar Ivy League profile built around structure, patience and a lineup that can make opponents work for every clean look.
For UCF, the game also arrives with some roster questions still taking shape after the opener, including how the Knights want to line up in the backcourt and who settles into the starting group. Yales core includes transfer Connor May along with forwards Trevor Mullin and Riley Fox, and the matchup carries the feel of a rare intersection between two programs that do not cross paths often, which makes the first meeting in more than three decades worth a closer look. [Read more 🡒]
Dior Johnson Just Gave UCF Fans A Reason To Watch Friday
Johnny Dawkins decision to bring Dior Johnson back for another season already looks like one of the early storylines worth watching around UCF. In the season opener, Johnson delivered a huge night in a 96-95 overtime win over Florida Gulf Coast, giving the Knights exactly the kind of late-game shot creation they were hoping to have back in the rotation.
Johnson did most of his damage after halftime and kept pushing the pace into the extra session, helping UCF survive a tight one on a night when every possession mattered. The Knights needed calm at the line to finish it off, and Johnson was right in the middle of the pressure moments, a reminder that Fridays game could be worth circling if he keeps carrying that load. [Read more 🡒]