Feb 4, 2003
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By CHRIS DUNCAN
AP Sports Writer
LEXINGTON, Ky – Florida hardly looked like the No. 1 team in the country against Kentucky on Tuesday night.
The sixth-ranked Wildcats’ defense made sure of it.
Keith Bogans scored 15 points – all in the first half – as Kentucky beat the Gators 70-55, snapping Florida’s 14-game winning streak one day after it moved to the top of the poll for the first time in school history.
The active, swarming Wildcats (17-3, 7-0 Southeastern Conference) held Florida to 34 percent shooting (17-of-50), including 36 percent from 3-point range (5-of-14), and forced 19 turnovers.
“Our guys hung our heads when the shots weren’t falling,” Florida coach Billy Donovan said. “Our mindset was too much on offense and scoring. They took us out of our game.”
Gerald Fitch had 14 points for Kentucky, which won its 11th straight game, its second-longest winning streak in coach Tubby Smith’s six seasons. The Wildcats haven’t won their first seven league games since 1997-98, their last national championship season.
“We think we’re the No. 1 team. That’s what we wanted to show everybody,” Fitch said. “I think we did a good job of showing them.”
Anthony Roberson scored 18 points for the Gators (18-3, 7-1).
Donovan said his team wasn’t affected by being ranked on top.
“This was perfect timing for us to be No. 1 because us playing Kentucky overshadowed the ranking,” Donovan said. “It’s a big conference matchup with both teams undefeated and working for first place in the league. We didn’t have to answer a lot of questions about being No. 1.”
The Gators hit four of their first seven shots before Kentucky’s defense seized control. For the rest of the half, Florida hardly got an open look and the Wildcats seemed to track down every loose ball.
“Not to take anything away from Florida, but we had their number tonight,” said Kentucky guard Cliff Hawkins, who had four points and eight assists.
Kentucky finished the half on a 23-4 run as Florida missed 21 of its last 23 shots and committed eight turnovers. The Wildcats scored 14 straight points over one five-minute stretch.
“We were kind of surprised. We thought they had more firepower,” said Kentucky forward Chuck Hayes, who had nine points and eight rebounds.
Bogans, a senior who averaged 17 points in six previous games against Florida, shot 6-of-11 in the first half. The Wildcats went 19-of-37 from the field (51 percent) in the opening half, including 7-of-12 from 3-point range (58 percent).
The Gators’ offensive struggles were summed up in the final 1:22 of the first half.
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“We think we’re the No. 1 team. That’s what we wanted to show everybody, I think we did a good job of showing them.”
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After a timeout, Roberson overthrew an inbounds baseball pass to Brett Nelson on the Kentucky side of the floor. Nelson saved the ball right to Hawkins, who calmly made an uncontested layup.
Seconds later, Bogans stole a pass and threw down a two-handed, breakaway dunk for a 41-20 lead. Nelson missed a 3-pointer, the Wildcats rebounded and Bogans lobbed an alley-oop pass to Hayes for a dunk.
“We took them out of what they wanted to do and executed our offense to a ‘T,”‘ Bogans said.
Roberson made two free throws, but Daniels hit a fadeaway jumper with 2 seconds left to give Kentucky a 45-22 halftime lead.
The wide deficit startled the Wildcats as they went into the locker room.
“We were kind of surprised. We really were expecting a war,” Hayes said.
The Gators had no solutions for Kentucky’s defense in the second half.
Matt Bonner scored inside with 16:13 left to end a 10-minute field goal drought and trim Kentucky’s lead to 50-25.
Florida’s deficit bulged to 29 as steals led to consecutive dunks by Daniels and Antwain Barbour.
“We had them down and we just wanted to keep them there,” Fitch said.
The Gators finally found a rhythm and hit six of seven shots during a too-late 16-4 run. A 3-pointer by Roberson with 3:59 left cut the lead to 64-47.
But Jules Camara made two free throws with 3:22 remaining and Marquis Estill scored inside a minute later to cue the “Overrated!” chant from the boisterous Rupp Arena-record crowd of 24,459 and prompt Smith to pull his starters.
Bogans hopped and laughed and Fitch twirled a towel as the final seconds ticked off and the fans stood and cheered.
“Once we heard they were No. 1, we got excited like kids,” Hayes said. “In my two years, this has to be the most fun we’ve had. When you play basketball like that, it’s a lot of fun.”
Kentucky improved to 5-9 all-time against No. 1-ranked teams. The Wildcats have won the two meetings with the No. 1 team at Rupp Arena, beating Indiana 69-58 in 1979.
