Men's Basketball
Kentucky-Florida Postgame Notes

Kentucky-Florida Postgame Notes

KENTUCKY MEN’S BASKETBALL POSTGAME NOTES
RUPP ARENA AT CENTRAL BANK CENTER | LEXINGTON, KY
MARCH 7, 2026
ATTENDANCE: 20,140

Final Score: No. 5 Florida 84, (RV) Kentucky 77

Team Records and Series Notes

  • Kentucky completes the regular season 19-12 overall, 10-8 in the Southeastern Conference.
  • Florida has won 11 in a row with an average margin of 21.5 points during that streak. The Gators are 25-6 overall, 16-2 in the SEC.
  • Kentucky leads the series 111-44, including 56-13 in Lexington.
  • Next for Kentucky is the SEC Tournament in Nashville, with bracket to be finalized pending the completion of today’s games.

Team Notes

  • Denzel Aberdeen, Walker Horn, Otega Oweh and Zach Tow were honored in pregame Senior Day ceremonies.
    • Kentucky is 53-7 all-time in games in which its seniors are honored.
  • Kentucky is now 5-10 this season when trailing at halftime.
  • Seven different UK players recorded a steal, tied for the most in a game this season (vs. Loyola Md.)

Player Notes  

  • Otega Oweh led all scorers today with 28 points, one shy of his career high for scoring.
    • He made a career-high four 3-pointers.
    • Has scored at least 20 points in 14 of 18 SEC games.
    • He has hit double figures in 30 of 31 games this season.
  • Denzel Aberdeen tallied 15 points and tied for the team lead in assists with four.
    • It is his 22nd double-figure game of the season and 13th in the last 16 games.
  • Mouhamed Dioubate had 10 points and tied for the team lead in rebounding with six.
    • He is growing in his impact as a scorer, hitting double figures in three of the last four games, averaging 12.3 points during that span.
  • Kentucky is currently missing Jayden Quaintance, Kam Williams and Jaland Lowe because of injury. Lowe is out for the season.
    • By the time Kentucky reaches the end of the regular season, during his two years at UK, Coach Mark Pope will have played only five of 52 games against high-major opponents (9.6%) with a full roster.

In the First Half

  • Kentucky started the combination of Denzel Aberdeen, Collin Chandler, Otega Oweh, Andrija Jelavic and Malachi Moreno for the 12th consecutive game.
  • UK’s first substitutions were Brandon Garrison and Mo Dioubate at 15:23.
  • Florida scored on the first four possessions in compiling an 11-0 lead as Kentucky called timeout at the 17:24 mark.
  • Kentucky rallied with the next nine points to make it 11-9.
  • Kentucky got within one point at 18-17 and 20-19 but Florida scored on the next possession on each occasion.
  • Leading 20-19, Florida went on a 13-0 run and UK called time with 6:25 remaining.
  • Florida’s largest lead of the half was 18 points at 45-27.
  • Florida took a 49-32 lead into halftime.
    • Oweh led Kentucky with 17 points.

In the Second Half

  • Kentucky began the second half with the starters.
  • Florida led by as many as 20 points at 68-48 with 9:43 remaining.
  • Kentucky rallied within five points, 80-75, with 29.9 seconds to go and 82-77 with 19 seconds to go.

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