EXACTECH ARENA AT STEPHEN C. O’CONNELL CENTER
JAN. 9, 2021
ATTENDANCE: 2,324
Final Score: Kentucky 76, Florida 58
Team Records and Series Notes
- Kentucky won its third in a row and is now 4-6 overall, 3-0 in the Southeastern Conference. Florida is 5-3, 2-2 in the SEC.
- Kentucky leads the series 105-40 and has won the last five vs. the Gators.
- It’s the first five-game winning streak vs. Florida since a five-game run from 2015 to 2017.
- UK has won the last three games played in Gainesville. That’s the Wildcats’ first three-game winning streak at Florida since winning three consecutive games from 2002 to 2004.
- It was UK’s largest margin of victory at UF since a 79-54 win in 1998.
- Next: on Tuesday, UK plays host to Alabama. Game time is 9 p.m. and will be televised on ESPN.
Player Notes
- Brandon Boston Jr. had 13 points, his most since the North Carolina game on Dec. 19. He also made his first 3-pointer since the Notre Dame game on Dec. 12.
- He had season-bests with 6-of-6 free throws and four steals and was efficient handling the ball with three assists and no turnovers.
- Davion MIntz had 13 points, making 5-of-7 field goals.
- Making his first appearance of the season and playing 24 minutes, Keion Brooks Jr. scored 12 points on 6-of-8 shooting, leading the Wildcats with six rebounds and four assists.
- Brooks missed the first nine games with a left leg injury.
- His last game was coincidentally the 2019-20 season finale at Florida, an 18-point second-half comeback victory.
- Olivier Sarr played well, tallying 10 points and two assists before foul trouble in the second half limited his action.
- Isaiah Jackson tied his season high with nine points. He also tied Brooks for most rebounds with six while posting four blocked shots and a steal.
Coach John Calipari
- Calipari is now 334-83 at UK.
- Calipari has a 779-223 all-time on-court record.
- UK is 271-48 under Calipari against Associated Press unranked teams.
- This is the sixth time in Calipari’s 12 seasons at UK that the Wildcats have begun 3-0 in the SEC.
- He is 20-8 all-time vs. Florida.
Team Notes
- Kentucky shot 55.8% from the field, a shade below the season high of 55.9% in the opener vs. Morehead State.
- UK had three double-digit runs today, 10-0 in the first half and 10-0 and 13-0 in the second half.
- Kentucky limited Florida to 37.5% from the field. UK is 205-20 (91.1%) under Calipari when the opponent shoots 40% or less.
- The Wildcats held Florida to 58 points. UK is 187-8 (95.9%9) under Calipari when the opponent scores 63 or less.
- Florida had 16 turnovers and UK capitalized with 25 points.
- UK had 31 points off the bench, paced by Brooks’ 12 points.
- Kentucky dished out 18 assists, tied for a season best (also did it vs. Morehead State and Mississippi State).
- UK scored 1.15 points per possession, tied for the second-best mark of the season.
- The Wildcats blocked seven shots, the third straight game with seven or more swats.
During the Three-Game Win Streak
- Kentucky has made 22 of 47 on 3-point shots, 46.8%. In the first seven games, UK shot 25 percent from long range.
- UK has made 41 of 53 free throws, 77.4%. In the first seven games, the Wildcats shot 66.2% at the charity stripe.
- Kentucky has been plus or even in assist/turnover ratio all three games. UK was plus or even in assists/TO in only two of the first seven games.
- UK has blocked 26 shots, an average of 8.7 rejections. In the first seven games, UK averaged five blocks per contest.
- Kentucky has 26 steals, an average of 8.7 thefts. In the first seven games, UK averaged 5.9 steals.
- Four players have scored in double figures each game. That happened only once in the first seven.
In the First Half
- The starting lineup consisted of Davion Mintz, Brandon Boston Jr., Devin Askew, Lance Ware and Olivier Sarr for the second time this season.
- Isaiah Jackson was the first substitute at the 17:42 mark.
- Trailing 10-5, UK got a 10-0 run that was sparked by a pair of Dontaie Allen 3-pointers.
- Tied at 24, Kentucky’s 11-3 run gave the Wildcats their largest advantage of the half at 35-27.
- Kentucky led at halftime, 35-29.
- Hustling defense led the way, as seven UK steals were part of nine Florida turnovers, leading to 15 points off turnovers.
- UK is 2-3 this season when leading at intermission.
In the Second Half
- Kentucky opened the second half with Askew, Mintz, Boston, Brooks, Ware and Sarr.
- UK took the lead to 45-33 at the first television timeout. Brooks keyed the early spurt with four points, one rebound, two assists, a block and a steal in the first four minutes.
- UK followed with a six-point trip — a 3-pointer by Mintz, a UF foul under the basket that gave UK the ball back, and a 3 by Askew that completed a 10-0 run to give the Cats their then-largest lead at 51-33.
- Florida responded to get it within 53-41 but the Gators got no closer as a 13-0 Cat scratch put the game away at 66-41.