The Cats topple the Gators in an exciting SEC opener.
The Kentucky Wildcats got off to a slow start on both ends of the court Saturday afternoon against the visiting No. 6 Florida Gators. The Wildcats fell behind 11 points early on, but a 16-0 run, led by Otega Oweh and Koby Brea, proved to be one of the game’s most important sequences, if not the biggest, as the Cats came out victorious 106-100 over the Gators.
Every time it seemed like the Wildcats were going to run away with the game, the Gators responded back. The Wildcats were able to overcome the Gators’ punch every single time by hustling in moments they really needed to on both ends of the floor, which eventually led them to their 12th win overall and first SEC win of the season.
Saturday’s win extended Mark Pope’s record against AP top-10 opponents. He’s 3-0 to start the new year. The Wildcats are also the only team in the country with at least three wins against AP top-10 opponents this season.
The Wildcats will head to Athens Tuesday night to take on the Georgia Bulldogs in their first SEC road game of the year. Until then, let’s talk about how the Wildcats took down the Gators in an exciting SEC thriller.
3-point shooting
The Wildcats had their best shooting performance of the season from distance this past Saturday. Kentucky shot 14/29 (48.3%) from 3 against the Gators, which eventually propelled them to victory. The Cats couldn’t have asked for a better time to get back to their hot shooting from 3 as they did to start SEC play Saturday afternoon. If the Cats can continue shooting from distance like they did against the Gators, they will be a tough out for any opponent moving forward.
Otega Oweh
Kentucky got off to a slow start in the first half, but the 16-0 run, which starred Oweh, turned out to be the turning point for the rest of the game. Oweh finished the contest with 16 points and four boards. Oweh continues to be one of the main offensive sparks for the Wildcats whenever they need something to happen in crucial moments. He’s reached double figures in every game so far.
Koby Brea
The Wildcats’ sixth man went nuclear against the Gators, finishing with a career-high 23 points while going 7/9 from distance. Brea’s seven 3s off the bench were tied for the most out of any Kentucky player off the bench this century and a new personal career high. After leading the NCAA in 3-point shooting (49.8%) a season ago, Brea is once again the NCAA leader (52.3%) this season. This type of production from him off the bench is key to the Cats’ success moving forward.
Lamont Butler
Butler continued to prove why he’s one of the best defenders in college basketball in Saturday’s win against Florida. He was a pest on defense as he came away with three steals. Butler also finished the game with 19 points and a season-high eight assists. His defensive intensity and his ability to get to the rim consistently continued to help the Wildcats in a major way.