Compiled by UK Athletics
KENTUCKY at FLORIDA
EXACTECH ARENA at THE STEPHEN O’CONNELL CENTER | GAINESVILLE, FLA.
MARCH 5, 2022
ATTENDANCE: 9,788
Final Score: No. 7/6 Kentucky 71, Florida 63
Team Records, Series Notes, Etc.
Kentucky ends the regular season 25-6 overall, 14-4 in the Southeastern Conference.
Florida is 19-12 overall, 9-9 in the SEC.
UK leads the series, 107-41, and has won two in a row vs. the Gators.
UK leads 39-26 in games played in Gainesville and has won the last four meetings there.
Next for Kentucky: tying for second place in the SEC standings, the Wildcats will be the No. 3 seed in the SEC Tournament in Tampa. The Wildcats play Friday at approximately 8:30 p.m. (25 minutes after the conclusion of the 6 p.m. game) vs. the winner of Thursday’s No. 6 vs. No. 11/14 game.
Team Notes
This is Kentucky’s 39th season with 25 or more victories, including the 11th in 13 seasons under Coach John Calipari.
Kentucky finished the regular season with a 7-6 record away from home, including 6-5 in true road games.
Kentucky held Florida to 63 points. UK is 202-9 (95.7%) under Calipari when limiting the opponent to 63 or less, including 14-0 this season.
Kentucky won the rebounding 35-33. UK is 22-3 this season when leading the rebounding.
Kentucky shot 50.9 percent from the field (28 of 55). UK is 14-1 this season when making at least 50 percent from the field.
Kentucky led by as many as 16 points. UK is 310-13 (96.0%) under Coach Calipari when leading by 10 or more points during the contest.
Player Notes
Oscar Tshiebwe totaled 27 points and 15 rebounds, adding two blocked shots and three steals.
It is his 13th-straight double-double, most for a Wildcat since at least 1967-68 (complete single-game rebounding information available since that season).
It is his 25th double-double of the season, ranking second in the nation in that category. He is one behind the school record of 26 by Dan Issel in 1969-70.
It is his seventh game this season of at least 20 points and 15 rebounds, the most since Dan Issel has seven 20/15 games in the 1968-69 season.
He has scored double figures in 13 straight games, best at UK since Immanuel Quickley had a 20-game stretch in the 2019-20 season.
The nation’s leading rebounder has 18 straight games with double-figure rebounds, longest streak in one season since Kevin Marfo of Quinnipiac had a 20-game stretch in 2019-20. Tshiebwe has grabbed double-figure boards in all but two games this season.
Sahvir Wheeler continued a recent stretch of solid scoring with 13 points, making 6 of 10 shots.
Has scored double figures in three straight games, averaging 14.3 points during that span.
Leading the SEC and ranking third nationally in assists, he had four today.
TyTy Washington Jr. had six points, including four clutch free throws in the final minute, adding a game-high five assists and four rebounds.
In UK’s 22 wins in which he has played, he has averaged 13.8 points, 4.0 rebounds and 4.3 assists, as opposed to 6.3 points and 1.5 rebounds per game in UK’s six losses.
Kellan Grady was his “Steady Eddie” self today, with 11 points, two rebounds, three assists and no turnovers. It is his 17th double-figure scoring game of the season.
Davion Mintz sparked UK with a pair of 3-pointers, helping build the lead that was never surmounted, and finished with 10 points. He has 13 double-figure scoring games this season.
Coach John Calipari
Calipari is now 364-99 at UK.
UK is 297-56 vs. unranked competition under Calipari.
Calipari has an 809-239 all-time on-court record.
Calipari has tallied a 381-120 all-time record within conference play as a head coach and owns a 173-54 record since joining the SEC.
Calipari is 22-9 vs. Florida.
In the First Half
The starting lineup was Sahvir Wheeler, TyTy Washington Jr., Kellan Grady, Keion Brooks Jr. and Oscar Tshiebwe for the 23rd time this season. The Wildcats are 18-5 with this lineup.
Davion Mintz was the first Kentucky substitution at the 15:06 mark, sixth time this season he has been first off the bench.
UK scored on its first three possessions, jumping out to a 7-0 start, and led the entire game.
A 9-0 run expanded the lead to 25-11 and the Wildcats led by as many as 16 at 30-14 and 32-16.
Florida replied with a 10-0 spurt to cut the gap to 32-26, but Kentucky steadied with the final six points and took a 38-26 advantage into halftime.
Tshiebwe had 12 points and 11 rebounds, reaching his 25th double-double in the opening period.
UK is now 23-2 this season when leading at intermission.
In the Second Half
Kentucky began the second half with the starting lineup.
Florida scored five quick points to make it 38-31 and UK called timeout at the 18:43 mark.
Tshiebwe scored UK’s next 11 points to stretch the count to 49-37.
UK stayed comfortably ahead, leading 65-55 with 3:23 left, but then the Cats went cold.
UF got within 65-59 with 51 seconds left but missed a 3-pointer and Washington hit four straight free throws to clinch the win.
Tshiebwe carried the Cats in the second half with 15 points.
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