UK MEN’S BASKETBALL POSTGAME NOTES
FLORIDA AT KENTUCKY
RUPP ARENA | LEXINGTON, KY.
JAN. 20, 2018
ATTENDANCE: 24,394 (season high)
Final Score: Florida 66, #18/16 Kentucky 64
Team Records and Series Notes
- Kentucky is 14-5 overall and 4-3 in the Southeastern Conference. Florida is 14-5 overall, 6-1 in league play.
- Kentucky leads the series 100-39, including 51-10 in games played in Lexington.
- Kentucky finishes the two-game homestand Tuesday at 9 p.m. vs. Mississippi State. The game will be televised on ESPN.
In the First Half
- Kentucky’s starting lineup featured Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Hamidou Diallo, PJ Washington, Kevin Knox and Nick Richards for the sixth time this season. UK is 4-2 with this lineup.
- The game was evenly played until the Wildcats went on a 7-0 run to create a 28-20 gap.
- However, at that point the Cats went cold – no field goals in the final five minutes of the half – and Florida finished with a 13-3 run to take a 33-31 advantage at intermission.
- UK is 4-3 this season when trailing at halftime.
In the Second Half
- Florida came out hot and extended its lead to 45-37, forcing a UK timeout at 15:24.
- Kentucky extended its streak of 1,032 consecutive games with a 3-pointer when Diallo connected with 8:08 left in the game.
- UK went ahead 56-53 on a GIlgeous-Alexander 3-pointer with 5:35 to go.
- Florida responded with an 11-2 run to ahead 64-58.
- Kentucky hit a pair of 3-pointers in the final minute to draw within 66-64.
- After a Florida missed free throw, UK had a chance to tie or win on the final possession but Florida blocked two shots and got a steal to hang on to the win.
Team Notes
- Kentucky had a pair of home winning streaks broken tonight. UK had won 16 in a row at Rupp Arena and won 30 consecutive games against SEC opponents.
- UK outrebounded Florida 49-38. This is the first time this season UK won despite winning the rebounding. The Wildcats are 13-1 this season when winning the battle of the boards.
- UK is 41-9 under Coach John Calipari in bounce-back games after losses, including 3-1 this season. This is the first time this season UK has lost consecutive games.
- ESPN’s popular traveling show, College GameDay, was broadcast from Rupp Arena this morning. It’s the 15th time that GameDay has hosted from a UK game, including the seventh time at Rupp Arena.
- UK will be involved in back-to-back GameDays next week as the road show makes its way to Morgantown for UK’s game Jan. 27 at West Virginia.
Player Notes
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 10 points and led the Wildcats with six assists.
- Nick Richards scored eight points and led the Wildcats with nine rebounds.
- Wenyen Gabriel came off the bench to score 10 points and collect seven rebounds.
- After a three-game absence because of injury, Quade Green returned to action. He played 17 minutes and totaled two points and two assists.
Coach John Calipari
- Calipari has a 708-198 all-time on-court record.
- Calipari is now 263-58 at Kentucky, tying Orlando “Tubby” Smith for third-most wins as a Kentucky coach.
- Calipari is 145-7 at Rupp Arena, including 127-4 against unranked opponents.
- Calipari is 15-7 vs. Florida in his career.
