Florida Gators
Kentucky
Florida Takes Down Kentucky, 60-53
Saturday, March 7, 2009 | Men's Basketball
Guard Walter Hodge (Guaynabo, Puerto Rico) scored 18 points on his Senior Day and Florida stopped a three-game losing skid with a 60-53 victory over Kentucky on Saturday at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center.
The Gators took the lead on their first possession when junior forward Dan Werner (Middletown, N.J.) hit a three-pointer and UF never looked back. Florida started the game on an 18-8 run and led 29-22 at the break.
Florida was ahead by as many as 12 points early in the second half. The Wildcats cut the lead to six at 54-48 with 4:32 to play, but a steal by Hodge and a layup on the other end virtually put the game away.
Sophomore forward Alex Tyus (St. Louis, Mo.) scored 11 points and freshman guard Erving Walker (Brooklyn, N.Y.) added 10.
Patrick Patterson scored 16 points and grabbed 13 rebounds for Kentucky. Jodie Meeks had 15 points and Ramon Harris added 14.
Florida clinched the third spot in the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference and will play Arkansas on Thursday night at 9:45 p.m. in the first round of the SEC Tournament in Tampa.
