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Men's Basketball

Kentucky vs. Florida : TV/Streaming Info, Keys to the Game, and Predictions

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Kentucky Wildcats guard Antonio Reeves celebrates after a score.
© Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports

It’s 2024, and the Kentucky Wildcats will start the new year by opening SEC play against the Florida Gators in their first true road game of the season in Gainesville this Saturday.

The Wildcats enter conference play with a 10-2 record, while Florida enters with a 10-3 record. It’s not just the records that are similar between the two teams, as they play a similar pace and style.

Kentucky is 21st in possessions per game, averaging nearly 77 per contest, while Florida is just one spot behind in 22nd.

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Additionally, both move the ball extremely well, ranking in the top 30 in the country, and both rank 50th (UK) and 57th (UF) in KenPom defensive efficiency. That said, there are some differences as Kentucky attempts three more 3s per game and Florida attempts to create more contact and averages more than seven more free throws per game.

Let’s take a look at the matchup.

Rebounding

Florida is the best rebounding team in the country, averaging more than 45 per game while outrebounding their opponents by an average of 11 per game. While Kentucky’s efforts have improved since adding 7-footers Aaron Bradshaw and Ugonna Onyenso back to the lineup, they have yet to reach the 40 mark in a single game.

That said, in their most recent game the Wildcats won by 26 against Illinois State, but they were also outrebounded and allowed 24 offensive rebounds, the most of the John Calipari era. In the performance, Bradshaw and Onyenso combined for just three rebounds, the same amount 6-foot-1 Rob Dillingham collected.

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It is worth noting that Adou Thiero missed the game vs. Illinois State due to soreness but is expected to play this week. Thiero is second on the team in rebounding at 5.6 per contest, so having him back will be a big boost in that department.

While Florida’s rebounding efforts are led by big man Tyrese Samuel, each player is disciplined and is looking to grab the rebound. The Wildcats have been working on rebounding drills since the Illinois State game, as John Calipari has made it a big emphasis during Camp Cal.

Hopefully, a difference can be seen in the week since, highlighted by Bradshaw and Onyenso stepping up in a bigger way.

Hit Outside Shots

Kentucky’s defense has not been great this season, but neither have the Gators. Florida’s biggest vulnerability is the 3-point shot, which is fortunate given that is where the Wildcats get more than a third of their points from.

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The Gators allow their opponents to shoot over 34% from deep. This Wildcat team is making its case for the best shooting team of the Calipari era, as they take the second-best 3-point shooting percentage in the country into conference play, 41.6%.

In both of Kentucky’s losses, they have shot less than 32% from 3. Against a team that gives up the three, in a difficult environment, the Wildcats must convert on their opportunities.

Create Turnovers

Florida is 11th in the country in points, but their offensive efficiency is hurt by their inability to take care of the call, turning the ball over more as the second-most rate in the SEC, more than 13.5 times per game.

In comparison, Kentucky has only turned the ball over more than 13 times once, 14 times in a 34-point win against Stonehill.

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Florida guards Walter Clayton Jr and Riley Kugel account for nearly half of the team’s turnovers, so look for the Kentucky backcourt to be aggressive.

Opposing Players to Watch

G Walter Clayton Jr, 6-2, 195 lbs

  • 15.2 PPG (11th in SEC)
  • 3.8 RPG
  • 3.3 APG
  • 45.7% FG

F Tyrese Samuel, 6-10, 239 lbs

  • 14.3 PPG
  • 8.8 RPG (3rd in SEC)
  • 64.6% FG (leads SEC)

G Zyon Pullin, 6-4, 206 lbs

  • 14.1 PPG
  • 5.0 APG (leads SEC)
  • 3.5 RPG
  • 42.9% 3P (T-12th SEC)

Kentucky Wildcats Basketball vs. Florida Gators

  • Date: January 6th, 2024
  • Time: 12:30 pm ET
  • Location: Exactech Arena at Stephen C. O’Connell Center in Gainesville, FL
  • TV Channel: ESPN
  • Announcers: Dan Shulman and Jay Bilas
  • Online Stream: WatchESPN and the ESPN app.
  • Radio: Tom Leach and Jack Givens have the UK radio call on the UK Sports Radio Network.
  • Replay: WatchESPN and the SEC Network (check local listings).
  • Rosters: UK | FLA
  • Stats to Know: UK | FLA
  • KenPom: UK | FLA
  • Odds: DraftKings has Kentucky favored by a point as of Friday afternoon. ESPN’s matchup predictor gives the Cats a 38.3% chance to win. Bart Torvik has it at 41%, while EvanMiya has the game as a tossup, 50.1%-49.9%. KenPom is at 52%. Kentucky is currently 7-3 against the spread, while Florida is 5-4-1.
  • PredictionsBart Torvik and Haslametrics both have Kentucky losing, 88-86 and 89-88, respectively. EvanMiya couldn’t predict a winner with an 83.2-83.2 projection. KenPom is projecting an 86-85 victory, Kentucky!
  • Also published on A Sea of Blue.

Men's Basketball

Otega Oweh Declares for NBA Draft, Maintains College Eligibility

Arguably the centerpiece of last year’s team, Otega Oweh has declared for the NBA Draft… but that doesn’t mean he’s officially gone.

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Otega Oweh declares for the NBA Draft whilst maintaining his college eligibility.
Chet White | UK Athletics

Few players have taken the Big Blue Nation by storm like Otega Oweh did with his arrival this past season. A lot was new in Lexington last year, but #00 stuck out for a number of reasons; namely, his infectious energy on the court and the high odds that he was going to put an opponent on a poster on any given night.

Now, Oweh has declared for the NBA Draft. He made the announcement on social media, calling Kentucky fans the “best fans in the world.”

While this may seem dire for folks keeping tabs on next year’s roster, that last line in Oweh’s announcement is crucial: “…while maintaining my NCAA eligibility.” Essentially, Otega’s time in Lexington is far from over, at least for the time being.

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Whether or not “Tegatron” returns to Rupp will likely depend on what he hears during the draft process, and where exactly he wants to land. In the modern college basketball landscape, it’s become common practice for players to “test the waters” in the draft, just to get an idea as to where they stand with the league, before returning to college for another year of development.

Take, for example, Jaxson Robinson just last season. Before his eventual transfer to Kentucky, Robinson declared for the draft out of BYU, maintaining his eligibility, before pulling from the process in order to spend his senior year at Kentucky. It happens all the time.

While that doesn’t necessarily set Oweh’s return in stone, it at least gives the Big Blue Nation to take a breather and keep calm, as his departure is far from official. Either way, #00 is a Lexington legend whose first go-around in Kentucky blue was as memorable as anyone’s could be. The “Oweh, Oweh, Oweh” chants will go on regardless.

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Men's Basketball

Four Star Forward Visiting Kentucky Amidst Recruitment Rumors

Mark Pope is looking to close out a strong sophomore effort in the transfer portal, and this freshman guard may be the final piece.

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Four star guard Braydon Hawthorne is on a visit to Kentucky.
Braydon Hawthorne | WVU Athletics

As the transfer portal trucks on (and the NCAA races to find ways to regulate it), Mark Pope is looking to tie a bow on his already highly-ranked 2025-26′ roster. The latest potential addition becomes in the form of a freshman who, after pulling his commitment from West Virginia, will be on an official visit to Kentucky today, Wednesday, April 16.

Braydon Hawthorne, the 6’8″ forward at hand, is a lengthy, scoring wing with high upside on the offensive end. His 7’3″ wingspan opens opportunities for development on the defensive end, too – he’s an investment opportunity of the highest order. On3 currently has him at 48th on their ranking of 2025 recruits.

In addition to Kentucky and West Virginia (where Hawthorne is from), schools such as Virginia Tech, Arizona State, Marquette, Dayton, Old Dominion, Mount St. Mary’s, and more have thrown their hats into the ring, although the general consensus seems to be that Kentucky has the strongest pull/interest in the prospect for the time being.

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Whether or not that actually means he’ll be in blue and white is unfortunately unsure – as that’s how the transfer portal operates – but an in-person visit is a good indicator of mutual interest. Plus, with Kentucky “losing out” on Lamar Wilkerson, who committed to Indiana, a scoring spot in the back court remains open… and Hawthorne is a compelling candidate to fill it.

While Wildcats fans wait patiently for a potential commitment, all eyes are on Coach Cody Fueger’s X account for a trademark “boom” post.

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Men's Basketball

Brandon Garrison Announces Return To Kentucky For The 2025-26 Season

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Chet White | UK Athletics

Brandon Garrison isn’t going anywhere. 

The 6-foot-10 forward will be returning to the Kentucky Wildcats for his junior season in the 2025-26 campaign. 

Garrison took to social media first, posting a story on his personal Instagram that showed a simple graphic reading the words “I’m back.”

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Speculation and rumors have swirled around the Oklahoma native all offseason, and with the addition of Andrija Jelavic, Big Blue Nation worried that Garrison would be hitting the portal sooner than later. 

Now, with his returning announcement public, Garrison will look to assert himself in the offseason as a dominant force that deserves the starting role.

Last season, he backed up Amari Williams, coming off of the bench and averaging 5.9 points per game and 3.9 rebounds per game in just 17.3 minutes a night. 

It’s unclear if he’s guaranteed anything in regards to a starting spot. However, having played a year already in Mark Pope’s system, Garrison may get a nod for the role over one of the transfer pickups. 

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Pope and the coaching staff have been publicly confident in the development of “BG” and see him as a vocal leader on and off the court. 

With a full offseason ahead where he’ll be harnessing his skill set and bettering his game in any way possible, Kentucky fans will be glad that Garrison chose to stick around another year. 

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