LEXINGTON, Ky. — Hey, Tyree Appleby! What do you think about this new-found and extra-aggressive version of Tre Mann? 

"Unstoppable," Appleby said. "We're going to keep encouraging him to do what he's being doing; being our offense." 

How 'bout you, Mike White? You approve? 

"Absolutely," the Florida coach said. "Want more." 

What Mann did Saturday in leading the Gators to a 71-67 road victory over Kentucky at Rupp Arena — coupled with his performance in the team's road win at Auburn four nights earlier — certainly is leaving his coaches, teammates and UF fans pining for more. Mann tallied team highs of 21 points and eight rebounds over 35 minutes, and calmly sank a pair of free throws with 10 seconds left to put the visitors up by two possessions in what became he 11th win for the UF program in 63 road dates to Big Blue Nation. 

UF forward Colin Castleton had 14 points, five rebounds and a career-best four assists, while Appleby, the fourth-year junior and transfer from Cleveland State, added 11 points, five rebounds, five assists and atoned for his five turnovers with a late go-ahead 3-pointer and vintage effort play in crunch time. Fourth-year junior forward Anthony Duruji, the transfer from Louisiana Tech, had 10 points.

Mann hit seven of his 11 field-goal tries, both attempts from the 3-point line, and five of six free throws. His performance followed Tuesday night's 19 points and career-high 13 rebounds against Auburn, as the sophomore combo guard from Gainesville is starting to assert himself and demonstrate his array of silky-smooth skills for all the Southeastern Conference to see. 

"I think there were two or three times he could have been more aggressive, but he's making good decisions," said White, who admitted catching himself a couple times urging Mann to shoot and thus further his attack mode. "He played with such a good tempo, has a such a great pace to his game, that I don't want to speed him up." 

No, what he's doing is just fine, for now, especially as the 6-foot-5, 190-pounder is rounding into form at a very opportune time; for he and the Gators (13-6, 9-5), now winners of three straight and resting in sole possession of third place in the Southeastern Conference standings — with two regular-season games remaining, followed by the SEC Tournament in Nashville, starting March 10 — thanks to losses earlier in the day by LSU and Tennessee. 

Mann scored 12 of his points after halftime during a back-and-forth affair that saw UF erase a 10-point first-half deficit, then make some good plays to help erase some bad ones in a contest that featured nine ties and 14 lead changes. 

"Coach was like, 'They're going to go on runs. They're going to make some tough shots. We're going to turn the ball over, but just stay in the moment,' " Mann said. "That just means we have to stay locked in. Coach said before the game, 'When they go on a run, I want y'all's face to look the same way it's looking right now in the locker room,' and I feel like the team did a good job at that. We kept our composure. It led to great stuff."
 
UF led by three points inside five minutes to play when an Appleby turnover led to a run-out dunk by UK guard Davion Mintz (21 points) and another turnover on the very next possession, this one by Mann, led to another transition dunk, this one from forward Jacob Toppin (11 points) just 35 seconds later, to push the Wildcats (8-14, 7-8) in front with 3:50 to play, and with White calling a timeout. UK, riding a three-game winning streak and playing its best basketball of the season, led 63-62. 

Out of the stoppage, the Gators worked the ball into the post to the 6-11 Castleton, who sensed the double-team and kicked a pass to the perimeter, where a wide-open Appleby splashed a 3-ball for the lead at the 3:25 mark. Mintz missed a 3 at the Kentucky end and in a scramble for the rebound, Appleby grabbed the ball and, while sailing out of bounds on the baseline,  threw it off UK guard B.J. Boston (13 points) to give the Gators possession.

"It was a hustle play," Appleby said. "I play hard all the time."

At the other end, Mann made the Wildcats pay with a clutch, late-shot clock jumper from the baseline to go up by four, 67-63. 

Twice the Cats cut the four-point lead to two, but each time the Gators answered by canning a pair of free throws; first by Appleby with 23.7 seconds left, then by Mann with 10 to go. 

"We had a couple of turnovers late, but I feel in those last two minutes, the whole team — it started with me Tyree — took care of the ball a little more," Mann said. "Again, we had a little bit more composure." 

Especially during a first half when Kentucky hit eight of its first 12 shots, took 17 free throws compared to just four for Florida jumped to an early 10-point lead. The Gators hit 51.7 percent overall in the first half and trailed by one, after slapping changing to some zone defenses the Wildcats struggled to work again. Meanwhile, UF maintained its shooting eye and finished at 52.1 percent for the game, including seven of 15 from distance, and knocked down five of their last six field-goal tries. Eventually, UF shot 16 free throws and made all but two (and all the big ones) and was able to overcome 16 turnovers. 

The Cats made just 33.3 percent of their shots in the second half (one of 11 from distance) and finished with 15 turnovers. 

"We stuck together," Duruji said. "We're away, so it's going to be tough. Some things aren't going to go our way, but we stayed connected — really connected — and that's what helped us get this win." 

At Kentucky, no less. Not a lot of Gators, frankly, can say that. 

"A win at Rupp Arena, under any circumstance, is a neat thing," said White, now 2-4 as Florida's coach when facing the Wildcats on the road. "To win on the road in the SEC is hard, but this place is really different and Kentucky had been playing very, very well."