Florida @ Kentucky preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 9, 2019 ) Florida 57, Kentucky 66

No. 10 Kentucky gets set to host Florida on Saturday in the first of two meetings between these SEC foes. The Wildcats have won five straight after defeating LSU 79-76 last time out and they stand all alone atop the league standings, while the Gators have turned it on of late with five victories in the last six games and they are in a three-way battle with Auburn and LSU for second place.

“Chemistry is definitely improving,” point guard Andrew Nembhard told reporters after Florida's 73-59 triumph over Arkansas. “As long as we play with an open mind and look to share the ball, chemistry will be good.” The season hasn't gone as expected for the Gators, but they are getting hot at just the right time to make a run at an at-large bid in the NCAA Tournament, regrouping from a dismal 17-point loss at Mississippi to win three in a row by an average of 16.3 points. The Wildcats are hardly in danger of missing out on the Big Dance, but the injury bug hit forward Nick Richards (ankle), the team's leading rebounder (8.1) and second-leading scorer (14.5), and team assist leader Ashton Hagans (thigh bruise) just as the team was aiming to improve its tournament seeding. "You know, that's just the basketball season," Richards said. "Every basketball team has their own adversity that they go through. It's just who figures it out and who's the team that's able to keep going, push through it is going to be the better team."

TIME: 6 p.m. ET. TV: ESPN

ABOUT FLORIDA (17-9, 9-4 SEC): The Gators are about to embark on a difficult five-game stretch, but they have found their shooting touch, making at least 50 percent of their shots in each of their last three games, all victories. Forward Keyontae Johnson scored a career-high 24 points in the win over Arkansas thanks to hitting 15-of-17 free throws, both personal bests, and he added 10 rebounds for his sixth double-double of the season. Nembhard tops the team in scoring against SEC opponents (13.8 points per game) and the Gators as a team lead the conference in both field-goal (46.3) and 3-point (38.2) percentage in league play.

ABOUT KENTUCKY (21-5, 11-2): The Wildcats only had six players available to practice Thursday due to injuries, but coach John Calipari is hopeful Richards and Hagans will be able to go against the Gators after both were hurt last time out. Richards, the SEC's second-best shot blocker, accounted for six of the 11 blocked shots against LSU, the second time in three games that the team hit double figures in blocks. Kentucky's shooters struggled in the first half against LSU, misfiring on eight of their first 10 3-pointers, but the team roared back after the break with a 73.9 overall shooting percentage as the Wildcats hit at least 50 percent of their 3-point shots for the third time in the last four games.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Gators and Wildcats will close out their regular seasons against each other in Gainesville on March 7.

2. The teams have traded sweeps over the last two seasons, with Florida winning both contests in 2017-18 and Kentucky taking two last season.

3. Kentucky G Immanuel Quickley is averaging 18 points over the last 15 games.

PREDICTION: Florida 79, Kentucky 77