The Kentucky Wildcats lost on their home court to the Florida Gators on Saturday afternoon by a score of 84-77.
The Cats got off to one of their habitual slow starts, falling behind 11-0, but they actually fought back early. The intensity didn’t last long as they just as quickly fell apart. The Gators took a commanding 49-32 lead into the half on Senior Day.
After the break, it was more of the same, as Florida controlled the game much of the way until Kentucky made a very late push to make the final
score look respectable. Another pathetic performance. This trend is getting tiresome. Game after game, the Cats fall behind.
Sometimes, they come back. Sometimes, they don’t. It isn’t really fun anymore. It’s frustrating more than anything, and even more so because it’s unclear why the head coach at the University of Kentucky can’t figure it out. It’s also not a long-term winning formula, as you could see tonight.
What’s really sad is that this loss all but guarantees just the fifth 14-loss team in Kentucky Basketball history. Pope has made a point of racking up bad stats at Kentucky, despite stating that he understands the assignment.
Apparently, he got the wrong homework, likely from Mitch Barnhart.
The defense was abysmal
Kentucky has been a bit bipolar on the defensive end this season. You never know what you’re going to get.
The inconsistency has come back to bite them really over the last month. For once, the rebounding was actually pretty good, so that wasn’t the issue. Kentucky just couldn’t stop Florida from doing whatever they wanted inside and out. Games like today happen, but they’ve happened far too often under Mark Pope’s tenure.
Florida shot well from deep, which is a bad formula with how dominant they are inside. The effort was just really poor.
At Kentucky, you just can’t get manhandled at home like this, and defense was the primary reason why.
Oweh leaves Rupp in good graces
Otega Oweh has played his last game in blue and white. He’s been close to unstoppable since conference play began, and he left us with a performance to remember. Oweh was the only player who showed up in this one.
Oweh was the Preseason SEC Player of the Year, and despite a slow start this season, he’s proving exactly why. The senior guard gets to the rim at will. His shot is somewhat inconsistent, but it was hitting tonight, and he’s unguardable when that happens.
As bad as this season has been, there are not many players in the county better than OO. What’s made him even more special of late has been taking on the task of guarding the opposing team’s best player more often than not. He’s taken that role in stride, and all it’s done is add to his All-SEC resume.
Next up, the Cats will play on Wednesday of the SEC Tournament for the first time ever. I’m a regular SEC Tournament goer, but save yourself the time and misery. It won’t be fun.
Kentucky is playing on Wednesday
Because of today’s loss, the Wildcats will play on Wednesday of the SEC Tournament for the first time in program history and will need to win five games to claim their first conference tournament title since 2018.
Just a brutal result in a year where, outside Florida, the SEC wasn’t exactly lighting the world on fire, especially compared to last year. The Cats had plenty of chances to get a double-bye, but now, they’ll get no bye in Nashville.
Oh well.
Let’s discuss what just happened.
