FINAL: Kentucky 71, Florida 63
Saturday, March 5, 2022 | Men's Basketball, Chris Harry
AT THE BUZZER
No. 7 KENTUCKY 71, FLORIDA 63
No. 7 KENTUCKY 71, FLORIDA 63
WHAT HAPPENED: Forward Oscar Tshiebwe put up another game's worth of dominant numbers at the Gators' expense, scoring 27 points and tearing down 15 rebounds to lead the seventh-ranked Wildcats to victory Saturday at Exactech Arena. Tshiebwe, the runaway favorite for 2022 Southeastern Player of the Year (and very much in the conversation for national player of the year) made 11 of 16 shots to help UK hit 50.9 percent for the game and lead wire-to-wire, thus spoiling an emotional "Senior Day" tribute to seven UF players, including one very special one. Keyontae Johnson not only donned a UF uniform for the first time since his haunting collapse Dec. 12, 2020 against Florida State, but with permission from UK and the officials, Johnson took the floor with the starters and controlled the opening tip from Colin Castleton. Officials stopped the game and allowed Johnson to bow out of his career as a Gator, with hugs from the players and coaches of both teams. After that, it was pretty much all Kentucky, as the emotions leftover from Johnson's moment appeared to bleed into a slow UF start. The Wildcats scored the first seven points and eventually built a 16-point halftime lead, at 32-16, before the Gators took off on a run of 10 straight points to pull within six. UK, though, scored the final six points of the period and led by a dozen, 38-26, at the break, thanks to 50-percent shooting, compared to UF's 36.7 (just 2-for-10 from deep). Florida got within six inside a minute to play, with the ball, but Phlandrous Fleming Jr. missed a good, open look at a 3-pointer with 41 seconds left and the Cats closed things out from there. Tshiebwe, the transfer from West Virginia, got help from UK point guard Sahvir Wheeler, the transfer from Georgia, who had 13 points and four assists, while Davidson transfer Kellen Grady added 11 points and three assists. The Gators were led by Castleton's 23 points and 11 rebounds (giving him a ninth double-double on the season), plus 10 points and four rebounds from fifth-year senior forward Anthony Duruji, who missed the previous two games with an ankle injury. Florida shot just 40.7 percent for the game and made only three of 20 from the 3-point arc (1-for-10 in the second half).
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: It may not have been the Gators' day, but it was definitely Keyontae's day.
STAGGERING STATISTIC: Tshiebwe secured his 25th double-double of the season in the first half. In two games against the Gators this season, he made 22 of 34 shots, 10 of 11 free throws and grabbed 34 rebounds, including 14 on the offensive end.
UP NEXT: Florida (19-12, 9-9), with a win, would have grabbed the No. 5 seed at the SEC Tournament next week in Tampa. Instead, the Gators will be in a pool of four other teams tied for fifth, meaning a collective match of cards and head-to-match matchups would determine the tournament bracket. Florida will be either the No. 7 seed (if Mississippi State defeats Texas A&M later Saturday) or the No. 9 (if the Aggies win). Either way, the Gators will face the Aggies (19-11, 8-9) Thursday at either noon (as the 9-seed) or 7 p.m. (as the 9-seed) at Amalie Arena.
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