Kentucky @ Florida preview

Kentucky at Florida

Last Meeting ( Feb 12, 2022 ) Florida 57, Kentucky 78

No. 7 Kentucky and Florida will meet Saturday in Gainesville, Fla., with each team having the motivation to cap the Southeastern Conference regular-season schedule with a victory.

For Kentucky, it's momentum for the SEC tournament, which begins Wednesday. For Florida, it's trying to impress enough in its few remaining chances to earn an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.

The matchup will be the second between the squads on the season. The then-No. 5 Wildcats (24-6, 13-4) routed the Gators (19-11, 9-8) by a 78-57 margin on their home court in Lexington, Ky., on Feb. 12.

In that one, Kentucky big man Oscar Tshiebwe posted a pair of game-high marks -- 27 points and 19 rebounds. Sharpshooter Kellan Grady added 15 points.

Coach John Calipari's crew had to take care of its mid-week business against visiting Ole Miss on Tuesday before thinking of the weekend's scenarios.

Tshiebwe's 18 points and 15 rebounds led the Wildcats past the Rebels, 83-72, allowing Kentucky to finish the home schedule unblemished at 18-0 -- its 14th time doing so at Rupp Arena and sixth under Calipari.

Sahvir Wheeler said Tshiebwe is a selfless teammate.

"The way he plays speaks for itself -- the amount of passion he has," said Wheeler, who chipped in 16 points, seven assists and three rebounds against Ole Miss. "You can tell he's playing for something bigger than him and bigger than all of us."

The Wildcats will need more of those kinds of contributions as they prepare for the SEC tournament in Tampa, Fla. If Saturday's matchups unfold as the oddsmakers expect, Kentucky -- having lost to both Arkansas and Tennessee -- will occupy the No. 3 seed.

Auburn (26-4, 14-3) would own sole possession of the title and the top seed with a home win over South Carolina.

Meanwhile, a Kentucky win over the Gators would slot the Wildcats into third, with the winner of the Arkansas-Tennessee bout taking the No. 2 spot. Losing in Florida would put the Wildcats in the fourth spot.

If the Gators cling to any hope of making the NCAA Tournament, then Tuesday night's 82-78 win at Vanderbilt involved a potentially season-saving final minute.

Coach Mike White's squad overcame a five-point deficit in the final 44 seconds, getting four free throws from Colin Castleton, a layup by reserve Tuongthach Gatkek and a game-clinching 3-pointer from Phlandrous Fleming Jr. for a crucial triumph.

Fleming's game-winner was fitting for the way the game unfolded, as the foes combined to shoot 50 percent from distance: the Gators 10 of 21, the Commodores 15 of 29.

"Fight. Resilience. It's what this group's done all year," White said of his team's 9-0 run in the final 31 seconds to overcome Vanderbilt's 78-73 lead. "What a win against the most improved team in our league.

"Our mental toughness down the stretch was off the charts to find a way to steal this one. Didn't do a lot perfectly, to be honest, but resilience and toughness and together. ... We just found a way."

Saturday will serve as Senior Day for seven Gators, including last season's SEC Preseason Player of the Year, Keyontae Johnson.

Johnson, 22, has not played since collapsing during a game at Florida State on Dec. 12, 2020.

Kentucky has won six of the past seven meetings with Florida, which includes three straight victories in Gainesville.

--Field Level Media