Halftime Report
Only one more half stands between Florida and the win they were favored to collect coming into this afternoon. They have jumped out to a quick 45-37 lead against Kentucky.
Florida entered the match having won six straight and they’re just one half away from another. Will they make it seven, or will Kentucky step up and spoil it? We’ll know soon.
Who’s Playing
Kentucky Wildcats @ Florida Gators
Current Records: Kentucky 10-2, Florida 10-3
How To Watch
What to Know
Kentucky is 9-1 against Florida since February of 2019, and they’ll have a chance to extend that success on Saturday. Both teams will face off in an SEC battle at 12:30 p.m. ET at Stephen C. O’Connell Center. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Kentucky waltzed into their game last Friday with three straight wins but they left with four. They took their match at home with ease, bagging a 96-70 victory over the Redbirds. The margin was wide but not a surprise since the spread was 20.5 in Kentucky’s favor.
Kentucky can attribute much of their success to Antonio Reeves, who scored 27 points along with six rebounds. Rob Dillingham was another key contributor, scoring 16 points along with seven assists and three steals.
Meanwhile, Florida came tearing into Saturday’s game with five straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 16 points) and they left with even more momentum. Everything went their way against the Bobcats as the Gators made off with a 97-72 win. The contest was pretty much decided by the half, when the score had already reached 52-29.
Among those leading the charge was Will Richard, who scored 22 points. As a matter of fact, that’s the most points he has scored all season. Another player making a difference was Walter Clayton Jr., who scored 12 points along with three blocks.
The Wildcats are on a roll lately: they’ve won eight of their last nine matchups, which provided a nice bump to their 10-2 record this season. As for the Gators, their victory was their sixth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 10-3.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Kentucky have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 38.2 rebounds per game. However, it’s not like Florida (currently ranked second in rebounds per game) struggles in that department as they’ve been averaging 45.4 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it’ll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Kentucky is hoping to beat the odds on Saturday, as the experts think they’re headed for a loss. This will be their first time playing as the underdogs on the road this season.
Odds
Florida is a 3.5-point favorite against Kentucky, according to the latest college basketball odds.
The line has drifted a bit towards the Gators, as the game opened with the Gators as a 1.5-point favorite.
The oddsmakers are expecting fireworks from the offense and set the over/under at a high 168.5 points.
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Series History
Kentucky has won 9 out of their last 10 games against Florida.
- Feb 22, 2023 – Kentucky 82 vs. Florida 74
- Feb 04, 2023 – Kentucky 72 vs. Florida 67
- Mar 05, 2022 – Kentucky 71 vs. Florida 63
- Feb 12, 2022 – Kentucky 78 vs. Florida 57
- Feb 27, 2021 – Florida 71 vs. Kentucky 67
- Jan 09, 2021 – Kentucky 76 vs. Florida 58
- Mar 07, 2020 – Kentucky 71 vs. Florida 70
- Feb 22, 2020 – Kentucky 65 vs. Florida 59
- Mar 09, 2019 – Kentucky 66 vs. Florida 57
- Feb 02, 2019 – Kentucky 65 vs. Florida 54
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