Kentucky’s trip to SEC basketball opponent Florida was filled with nightmares as the Wildcats have now lost three of their last four.
Kentucky head coach John Calipari just might erase the game film footage from Saturday night’s outing in Gainsville.
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Big Blue Nation would like to forget about the 88-66 conference road loss to the Florida Gators. It’s the second conference loss for the Wildcats and their third loss in the last four games.
Simply put, the Gators dominated Kentucky. Florida took control from the get-go. They took advantage early thanks to some excellent rebounding and solid perimeter shooting. The Gators came to play Saturday night. They out-shot Kentucky, as Florida shot 48 percent from the field, while Kentucky shot just 37 percent.
Additionally, the Gators owned the glass on both ends, outrebounding Kentucky 54-29. Fast break points also benefited the Gators as they outscored Kentucky, a solid transition team, 18-8.
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On top of those numbers, Kasey Hill put together a solid effort for Florida, leading all scorers with 21 points.
Kentucky’s leading scorer Malik Monk didn’t score a point during the first half. The freshman wouldn’t score until nearly three minutes into the second half. Monk recorded 11 points on 4-of-14 shooting. The Wildcats relied on the efforts of De’Aaron Fox, who finished with a team-high 19 points. However, he went 5-of-15 from the field.
Kentucky has encountered a rough patch in their season. Their previous five games have been decided by 10 points or less. And that includes the overtime win against Georgia. However, Kentucky faces another issue. They are 0-2 against ranked teams on the road, the first loss being against Louisville Dec. 21.
None of those four remaining road games for Kentucky are against ranked teams. The Wildcats lost a good opportunity to get a good true road win.
On the flip side, this game helps Florida. It’s undoubtedly their biggest win of the season. They came into this week ranked 24th. Florida now has four straight wins and can make it five in a row Tuesday night against Georgia.
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The loss knocks Kentucky out of first place in the SEC. South Carolina sits all alone at the top at 9-1. The Wildcats sit tied for second with Florida at 8-2. Kentucky can right the ship Tuesday night when they head back to Rupp Arena to take on LSU.