GAINESVILLE --
The winless record against Kentucky last year was on their minds.
Losing three times to the same team in the same season will do that to a
team.
But Tuesday night wasn’t about revenge for the Gators. It didn’t need to be.
“It
was definitely about defense,” said junior forward Casey Prather, who
played a pivotal role in the 69-52 win with 12 points and two blocks in
extended minutes.
Coming into the game with the country’s best average margin of
victory at 21.5 and the fourth-ranked scoring defense at 52.7 points
allowed per game, No. 7 Florida (20-3, 10-1 Southeastern Conference) had
little trouble maintaining those numbers Tuesday against No. 25
Kentucky (17-7, 8-3).
“They really did a much, much better job in this game than maybe they have in the last couple,” UF coach Billy Donovan said.
Florida started slow, thanks in large part to the team’s only two true big men in the frontcourt picking up early fouls.
Center
Patric Young (12 points, 11 rebounds) and forward Erik Murphy (10
points, five rebounds) were whistled in the first 2 1/2 minutes.
But
Prather, playing more minutes because of an injury to forward Will
Yeguete, filled in nicely, picking up two key charges and scoring eight
points with an assist and a block in the first 20 minutes.
Florida’s
defense was then able to turn up the pressure, ultimately forcing
Kentucky into 17 turnovers that the Gators converted into 20 points.
The
Wildcats’ heralded big man and nation’s leading shot blocker, Nerlens
Noel, also got into foul trouble with two before half and Florida
finished with a 9-3 advantage in blocks.
“We were just trying to
do what we were doing at the beginning of the year,” guard Scottie
Wilbekin said. “That’s playing great defense, helping each other, just
staying locked in on every possession.”
With Florida cold to
start, Kentucky held an 11-10 advantage at the 12:24 mark in the first
half, but the Gators went on a three-point fueled 26-10 run and were up
38-25 at halftime.
Kentucky’s 25 first-half points tied a season
low, and Florida’s 16-point lead at 36-20 was the largest deficit the
Wildcats have faced all year.
“That says that we’re a good
defensive team,” Prather said. “We obviously lost Will, who is a great
defensive player. For guys to come in together and help each other out,
it speaks volumes for our team.”
Kentucky closed UF’s lead to 12
with less than 10 minutes remaining, but then the game — and perhaps the
season — took a turn for the Wildcats when Noel went down with what
appeared to be a devastating injury.
Trying to block Florida’s
Mike Rosario from behind on a breakaway dunk, Noel’s left knee collided
with the padding at the base of the basket.
Noel stayed on the
ground for several minutes writhing in pain, yelling and clutching his
knee and had to be carried off the court and to the locker room by three
teammates.
Kentucky coach John Calipari said after the game he didn’t know the status of the injury.
“I didn’t see much. ... It looked ugly,” Calipari said. “It’s unfortunate, and I hope and pray that he’s OK.”
Noel left the arena in a wheelchair and was transported to a local hospital for further examination.
