Gators roll to big home win
GAINESVILLE — UF point guard Kasey HIll finally has some company, and coach Mike White has a long-awaited signature win.
Hill was a freshman and the only player on the current roster when the Gators last beat Kentucky, back in 2014.
After five straight losses to the Wildcats and two seasons of struggle, Hill made sure his teammates got a taste of victory against the SEC’s top program.
Behind Hill’s game-high 21 points and defensive hustle, the No. 24 Gators routed the No. 8 Wildcats 88-66 on Saturday night to deliver White his biggest victory during two seasons at UF and bolster his team’s NCAA Tournament resume.
A capacity crowd of 10,131 packed the O’Connell Center for the nationally televised match-up of the SEC’s two top programs.
ESPN’s College GameDay and 14 NBA scouts made the trek to Gainesville, while UF students camped outside the O’Dome Friday night to secure the best seats in the house.
The Gators (18-5, 8-2 SEC) fed off the high-energy environment and beat the SEC heavyweight Wildcats to the punch from the opening tip.
UF blocked four shots during the game’s opening four minutes, and 10 of the Gators’ first 16 points were off second-chance points.
The Gators’ relentlessness threw off the Wildcats’ offensive rhythm. Kentucky (18-5, 8-2) entered the game shooting an SEC-leading 49.1 percent from the floor and averaging a league-high 91.3 points but ended the first half shooting 30 percent (9 of 30) and losing 34-26.
Kentucky actually had trailed 30-17 after UF hit 3-pointers in consecutive possessions, but coach John Calipari’s freshmanladen squad did not wilt.
Early in the second half, the Wildcats cut UF’s lead to 37-33 on a three-point play by freshman point guard De’Aaron Fox, who was a game-time decision due to a week-long illness.
Following back-to-back baskets by Canyon Barry, the second a 3-pointer, Kentucky received a glimmer of hope from freshman shooting guard Malik Monk’s 3-pointer.
The SEC’s leading scorer, Monk tallied 31 points and hit seven 3-pointers during the second half and overtime of this past Tuesday’s win against Georgia.
But the Gators answered behind continued hustle and the hot hand of Hill, who scored three of his team’s next four baskets to push UF’s lead to 51-40.
Kentucky was never closer than nine points again and ended the game with a season-low point total.
Meanwhile, the Gators finished with a 54-29 rebounding margin, including nine each from 6-foot guard Chris Chiozza and 6-foot-8 forward Devin Robinson, who also had 16 points.
HIll tied his season-high point total on 8-of-16 shooting while adding six assists and five rebounds.
The win boosted the Gators’ hopes for a topfour seed and a spot in the opening round of NCAA Tournament March 16-18 in Orlando.
UF also picked up its first win in five tries against ranked teams this season.