Three takeaways from Kentucky basketball’s come-from-behind road win at Florida
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Game day: No. 6 Kentucky 87, Florida 85
Click below for more of the Herald-Leader’s and Kentucky.com’s coverage of Saturday’s men’s basketball game between Kentucky and Florida at Gainesville, Florida.
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Three takeaways from Kentucky basketball’s 87-85 win over the Florida Gators at Exactech Arena on Saturday:
1. Kentucky showed an impressive will to win
Kentucky’s first half was not a good half. With the conference opener being his team’s first true road game of the season, John Calipari’s young Wildcats made just 1 of 10 3-point shots — this from a team ranked second nationally in 3-point percentage at 41.6 — committed seven turnovers compared to two assists and trailed the hungry Gators 45-37 at the break.
By game’s end, however, the Cats had rallied to register the program’s first road victory after being down by eight or more points at the half since March 7, 2020, at — you guessed it — Florida when Calipari’s club rallied from a 40-30 halftime deficit to win 71-70 on EJ Montgomery’s tip-in in the final moments.
What changed on this Saturday in this game in this second half?
“We have some dogs,” Calipari said.
They proved it. Against a taller, more physical opponent in a hostile environment, the Cats kept fighting and fighting in the final 20 minutes. All 20 minutes. After taking a 51-49 lead with 15:22 left, they watched Florida score 10 straight points, and fought back. After pulling within a point at 60-59, they watched the Gators push the lead back to 65-59, and fought back.
Then at the end, the Cats’ fight produced winning plays. After a miserable first half, freshman center Aaron Bradshaw buried a 3-pointer with 1:25 left to give Kentucky a 79-76 lead. After the host Gators pulled within 81-79 with 30.5 seconds left, the Cats made six straight free throws over the final 19.3 seconds left to win it. Actually, it was Reed Sheppard who made all six of those free throws to win it.
Said Calipari of the difference down the stretch: “We had one or two guys who have a will to win and you make sure they’re in the game. How about that for coaching strategy?”
2. Kentucky proved it doesn’t need 3s to win
As mentioned earlier, Kentucky entered the game ranked No. 2 nationally in 3-point percentage, having made 41.6% of their attempts behind the line.
Saturday, the Cats were an abysmal 1-for-10 from 3 in the first half and 4-for-10 from 3 in the second half. And won anyway.
In fact, the visitors flipped the switch in the second half. “The first half we gave them too many open 3s,” Calipari said of the Gators going 8-for-20 from downtown over the first 20 minutes. “At halftime we said, ‘We’re not doing that.’”
So in the second half, Florida went 1-for-11 from 3-point range and the Gators’ lead soon evaporated and ultimately the game.
To be sure, there will be many future occasions in which the Cats will have to be better than their 5-for-20 showing from 3-point land on Saturday, but in this game the Cats did not have to show their usual aim from downtown to get the win.
3. For UK, can’t think of a better way to start SEC play
First of all, Kentucky got the win to go to 11-2. On the road. In the SEC opener. Against a quality opponent. In a hostile environment. After trailing by eight points at halftime. After trailing for all but 5:25 of the contest. Can’t think of a much better way to be 1-0 in conference play.
Compare that to a year ago, when Kentucky got smacked by Missouri in its conference opener, 89-75 in Columbia. The 2022-23 edition did bounce back to beat LSU 74-71 in Rupp Arena the next time out, but were then blitzed 78-52 at Alabama before losing at home 71-68 to a bad South Carolina team to go 1-3 in SEC play.
That team was not this team. This Kentucky team is deeper, more talented and has more ways to win games. And moving forward, this team will need all of the above against what looks to be an improved SEC. To start 1-0 start with a road win is not insignificant.
“(Florida) is a good team. We got lucky,” Calipari said. “I’m sure they’re looking forward to coming to Lexington.”
One down, 17 to go.
This story was originally published January 6, 2024 at 4:35 PM.
