Florida Survives Late Push to Top Kentucky in Regular-Season Finale
No. 5 Florida (25-6, 16-2 SEC) defeated Kentucky (19-12, 10-8) 84-77 to close out the regular season and complete the two-game sweep against the Wildcats. While the Gators picked up their 25th win of the year, the matchup was their tightest contest in over a month.
Florida led by a game-high 20 points with 9:43 to go in the second half, but experienced plenty of turmoil in the final minute before sealing the win at the free-throw line. The Gators shot 21 free throws in the second half alone, doubling their first-half total.
Just four days removed from hoisting the SEC regular season title trophy, the Gators flexed their muscles early at Rupp Arena. Florida opened the contest on an 11-0 run on its way to a 17-point first-half lead and shot 64.3% in the opening 20 minutes.
Forward Thomas Haugh led the charge, posting 17 first-half points on 66.6% shooting. After sitting out Tuesday’s game for precautionary reasons, Haugh returned to the lineup and made an immediate impact, knocking down a three-pointer and throwing down back-to-back dunks in a 1:45 stretch.
“He got off to a great start,” Florida coach Todd Golden said of Haugh. “He slowed down a little bit late but overall, he had a fantastic game and we’re a much better team when he’s out there.”
The Gators have been getting the job done by committee, and Saturday was no different. All five starters finished in double figures as Florida continued the balanced offensive attack that has fueled its late-season surge.
Golden’s squad has dominated during its recent stretch, entering Saturday on a 10-game winning streak. The Gators ranked fourth nationally in defensive efficiency and ninth in offensive efficiency coming into the matchup, strengthening their case for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.
That efficiency showed early against Kentucky. Florida averaged 1.531 points per possession in the first half, but cooled off after the break, shooting just 30.3% in the second half and finishing with .972 points per possession. Haugh, who starred early, went just 1-of-5 down the stretch as Kentucky chipped away at the lead.
“We always want to play to win and I thought we were playing a little bit not to lose to just get to zeros on the clock in the last five or six minutes,” Golden said.
Even so, Florida’s depth and ball movement carried it through. The Gators entered the game averaging 19.7 assists during their winning streak and recorded 20 assists Saturday, continuing the unselfish play that has defined their run.
Florida has outscored opponents by an average of 23.2 points during the streak and followed up its 92-83 win over Kentucky on Valentine’s Day with another victory Saturday, securing its first season sweep of the Wildcats in eight years.
With the regular season complete, the Gators now turn their attention to the SEC Tournament in Nashville. Florida will return to action Friday at 1 p.m. on ESPN, with its opponent to be determined by Thursday’s results.
Category: Feature Sports News, Gators Men's Basketball
