Kentucky’s late rally comes up short

NASHVILLE, Tn.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — (ABC-36 NEWS NOW)   For the third time this season, the Florida Gators came out on top against the Kentucky Wildcats. No. 1 Florida defeated No. 9 Kentucky 71–63 in the quarterfinal round of the SEC Tournament Friday afternoon at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.

Kentucky appeared to run out of energy at times during the second half. The Wildcats were playing their third game in as many days, while Florida entered the matchup well-rested after earning a double bye in the tournament and playing its first game in nearly a week.

The Wildcats struggled with scoring droughts throughout the contest. In the first half, Kentucky went six minutes without a basket, allowing Florida to build momentum and take a 37–28 lead into halftime.

Fatigue continued to show in the second half as Kentucky shot just 38 percent from the field and connected on only 3 of 12 attempts from beyond the arc. Florida also dominated the rebounding battle, outrebounding the Wildcats 50–29, including 18 offensive rebounds that led to several second-chance opportunities.

Despite the loss, Kentucky had a few standout performances. Denzel Aberdeen led the Wildcats with 17 points, while Mouhamed Dioubate added 14. Otega Oweh struggled from the field, finishing 5-of-18 shooting but still contributing 10 points.

With the SEC Tournament run now over, Kentucky turns its attention to the NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats will await their postseason fate during the Selection Show on Sunday night, when they will learn their placement and opponent for next week’s NCAA Tournament.