Rather big difference between the No. 1 and the No. 7 teams in the country.
That was a text message I received from Hail Florida Hail’s own One Eyed Willy. Sadly, it proved to be a very true statement. The No. 1 Kentucky Wildcats showed the nation yet again why they deserve to be atop the rankings beating the No. 7/8 Florida Gators 78-58. The Wildcats have not lost at home since 2009 and they may not lose again at Rupp until 2019. Let’s be real, the Gators are a good team; the Wildcats are on a level beyond good. The loss drops Florida to 19-5 (6-2 SEC).
Feb 7, 2012; Kentucky Wildcats forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (14) shoots the ball against Florida Gators guard Bradley Beal (23). Mark Zerof-US PRESSWIRE
Let’s go to the numbers, but I warn you it’s not pretty. Field goal percentage: 52.47%-34.9%. Three-point percentage: 60.0%-22.2%. Free-throw percentage: 100.0%-66.7%. Rebounds: 36-26. Assists: 18-9. Blocks: 6-2. Kentucky had the higher number in all of those, but you guessed that. Florida did have the advantage in terms of turnovers – nine to the Wildcats’ 13 – but not much else went in the Gators’ favor. For the first 10 minutes, Florida was in it before Kentucky put it in second gear and turned it up on both ends of the court.
Of all the Gators that want to forget this one, senior guard Erving Walker is at the top of the list. Walker finished with zero points on 0-for-7 shooting and only managed one assist. Many Florida player struggled, but Walker had a game no one wishes upon anyone else. In 26 minutes, he couldn’t find his shot and had trouble creating for others as well.
Junior guard Kenny Boynton (18) and freshman guard Bradley Beal (14) were both on par with their season scoring averages, but it wasn’t enough to keep pace with Kentucky. The Wildcats were led by sophomore guard Doron Lamb who had 18 points, freshman forward Anthony Davis who added 16, and freshman forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist who finished with a double-double – 13 points and 13 rebounds. We even caught a glimpse of former Gator Eloy Vargas although I have to question his eligibility at this point because I’m pretty sure he’s in his 30s.
On one hand, this was a game to learn from. On the other, it showed just how talented (and fast!) Kentucky is. March 4 is a new chapter, but Florida has plenty of work to do before then.
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Tags: Anthony Davis, Bradley Beal, College Basketball, Doron Lamb, Erving Walker, Florida Gators, Kenny Boynton, Kentucky Wildcats, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, SEC
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