Finley's Vision Starting to Take Shape in Wake of WNIT Run

Kelly Rae Finley has led the Gators women's basketball program to back-to-back winning seasons. (Photo: Emma Bissell/UAA Communications)

Finley's Vision Starting to Take Shape in Wake of WNIT Run

Tuesday, April 11, 2023 | Women's Basketball, Scott Carter

By: Scott Carter, Senior Writer

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — They come and go this time of year in college basketball faster than Charles Barkley can deliver a fresh quip. The transfer portal era has created a modern epicenter immediately after the Final Four – in the men's and women's games – that looms over everything else at the start of the offseason.

Imagine rush hour at Grand Central Station: coaches and players race in every direction to make connections that lead to their final destination. That's sort of what it seems like for those watching from courtside.

Some might look at the Florida women's basketball program that way, but not so fast, said head coach Kelly Rae Finley. The Gators concluded Finley's first full year on the job by making a run in the WNIT, winning on the road at Wofford, Wake Forest, and Clemson before losing in the quarterfinals at Bowling Green on March 27.

"I like the trajectory of our program,'' she said. "We want to build on where we finished."

While five players have announced they have entered the transfer portal since the loss, including the team's two leading scorers, guards KK Deans (14.1 points per game) and Nina Rickards (12.1), Finley stands firm to the foundation she has built. Forwards Jordyn Merritt, Tatyana Wyche and Taliyah Wyche are the others to depart.

Other than Dean, a transfer from West Virginia who only spent one season at Florida, those players helped the Gators to their first NCAA Tournament appearance in six years in 2022 after Finley replaced Cam Newbauer near the start of the season.

Gators 78, Blue Hose 52 — The return of guard **Zippy Broughton** has Gators coach **Kelly Rae Finley** optimistic heading into the offseason. (Photo: **Emma Bissell**/UAA Communications)

"It's interesting the narrative that is being tied to men's basketball because it's not even close to the same," said the 37-year-old Finley, who is 40-26 since taking over the program. "More so for me, it's like, 'Geez, that WNIT run was a great experience for us.' If our goal is to be playing late into March, that's important for us to know what it feels like in a win-or-go-home situation.

"I was pleased with our push at the end of the season."

Finley inherited a stressed program in 2021, and immediately injected enthusiasm and retooled the team's culture, leading to a 21-win season and midseason stretch in the Southeastern Conference in which Florida won nine of 10, including statement victories over SEC rivals LSU and Tennessee at the O'Dome.

A program stuck in the mud pulled its way out and followed that up with another postseason berth, the first time since 2014 the Gators have played beyond the regular season in back-to-back years.

Ask Finley about her outlook entering Year 3, and she's quick to remind you that, in her mind, she is entering Year 2. As she settled more comfortably into the job this past season, Finley began to put her fingerprints on the program she envisions. She took over on the fly on the cusp of the 2021-22 season and revamped the team's identity.

Finley's commitment to building from the ground up is at the core of her mission.

The Gators signed McDonald's All-American Laila Reynolds, a talented playmaker with a solid mid-range game from Maryland who averaged 11.2 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game for Shabach Christian Academy. Perhaps more importantly, Reynolds is a natural leader driven to win, guiding her prep team to the GEICO National Championship Game in 2022.

"We recruited Laila since the moment that we got the job,'' Finley said. "Over the course of getting to know her and her parents' understanding, we're very aligned with our values: hard work, wanting to win, wanting to be a part of something, and trying to do something that hasn't been done here with Florida women's basketball before. And that was exciting to her. We feel like she most definitely will elevate our program."

Meanwhile, Finley envisions a considerable boost from two players on the roster who did not play last season: guards Zippy Broughton and Aliyah Matharu. Gators fans are familiar with Broughton, who averaged 10.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.9 assists on the way to Florida's run to the NCAA Tournament in 2022. Broughton underwent shoulder surgery before last season and is an excellent on-ball defender, an area the Gators struggled with in her absence.

Gators 68, Panthers 53 — Guard **Aliyah Matharu**, a transfer from Texas who sat out last season due to NCAA transfer rules, provides a two-way player expected to contribute immediately during the 2023-24 season. (Photo: **Ashley Ray**/UAA Communications)

As for Matharu, it's easy to gauge Finley's excitement about getting the Texas transfer on the court from the tone of her voice. Matharu started her career at Mississippi State, spent a season at Texas, and then transferred to Florida and had to sit out last season due to NCAA transfer rules.

A 5-foot-7 guard who can shoot 3s and serve as a guard dog on perimeter defense, Matharu was a two-time SEC Freshman of the Week at Mississippi State during the 2019-20 season, and in her only season at Texas, she led the Longhorns in scoring (12 points) and 3-pointers (77).

"She's a dynamic two-way player. Her impact on our team will be tremendous. It's been fun to watch her practice," Finley said. "And we've got to see her compete every day. And then, obviously, Zippy returning gives us a whole other dynamic. She has a lot of experience in the SEC and our system. I think it will be exciting for Gator fans everywhere to be able to watch them play. And then with how [guard] Alberte Rimdal has improved on her defense, we should be much improved on the defensive end of the floor."

In the post, 6-foot-4 senior forward/center Faith Dut returns, and 6-foot-6 center Ra Shaya Kyle, a transfer last season from Purdue, provides interior size. Kyle averaged 9.4 points and 6.1 rebounds in 27 starts, and Dut chipped in 4.9 points and 3.6 rebounds in 30 starts.

"They can play together, or each of them could be the anchor with four guards,'' Finley said. "We're just working on developing their skills. And I'm really excited to see how they're going to grow over the offseason and as a group."

Guard/forward Leilani Correa, coming off a knee injury, came on strong to average 11.7 points in her first season in Gainesville. Correa transferred from St. John's, where she averaged more than 17 points a game. Jeriah Warren and Myka Perry return to bolster the forward spots and pick up their production.

The Gators have a commitment from another high-profile prep player and could dip into the transfer portal as Finley navigates the offseason. Like nearly every team around the country, the Gators have experienced a roster makeover since their WNIT run. Still, this is a team Finley is bullish on heading into next season.

"I feel really encouraged about where we are,'' she said. "That [WNIT run] was a tremendous experience for us this season. We got a group that is eager to compete and improve. And those teams are fun, especially when you can play both sides of the ball."