Kentucky basketball vs. Florida: Get live updates, stats from SEC Tournament

Let’s do this one more time.

The Kentucky basketball team, having won two games in an SEC Tournament for the first time since 2018, is rewarded – if you can call it that – with a third shot at Florida, this tournament’s No. 1 seed and the country’s No. 4 team.

If you’re a Cat fan with a half-empty glass, you’re no doubt concerned about the Gators’ 11-game winning streak, which includes two wins over UK.

If you’re the optimistic sort, you might note that Florida has won nine of those 11 consecutive games by double-digit margins, and both exceptions came against Kentucky.

The Gators beat the Cats 92-83 on Feb. 14 in Gainesville and 84-77 last Saturday in Lexington.

Florida led that first meeting by as many as 16 and the second by as many as 20. And UK hasn’t had a lead on the Gators in 80 minutes this season.

Given all that – and the fact that fresh Florida is facing a Kentucky team playing its third game in as many days – it’s no surprise that the Gators were an 11.5-point betting favorite Thursday and have an 82% chance of winning according to analytics site KenPom.com.

You can follow Friday’s game in the live chat below, which features real-time stats and play-by-play. Herald-Leader men’s basketball beat writer Ben Roberts, sports columnist Mark Story and staff writer Cameron Drummond will be on hand at Bridgestone Arena to provide live updates and answer your questions.

This story was originally published March 13, 2026 at 10:30 AM.