Both Teams Fighting To Stay In Conference Race
The Florida Gators go for a second straight win when they visit the Kentucky WIldcats in a SEC game that is important to both squads on Saturday night. Florida is coming off an upset of No. 2 Tennessee, its third win in four games, and is tied with the Wildcats for fifth place in the SEC standings. Kentucky has won five of its last six, including a win over Ole Miss on Tuesday, and, along with the Gators, sits just a game behind the three-way tie for second place in the conference. This should be an intense battle from the opening tip, so to help you with your bet online on the game, check out our in-depth preview.
Let’s check the latest college basketball news, stats, injury reports, and college basketball lines for Florida vs Kentucky. We’ve got plenty of NCAA basketball picks for you to consider.
Castleton Leads Florida In Upset Win
The Florida Gators are in a crucial part of their season, with a road swing that has Saturday’s game against Kentucky followed by a trip to face Alabama on Wednesday. But they have some momentum after their victory over Tennessee on Feb. 1, thanks in no small part to the performance of senior Colin Castleton, who had 16 of his 20 points in the second half.
“We have a tough schedule — this little stretch we have here. We have to win some games. We all know that — everybody knows that. Just having that grit and that toughness, coming down with rebounds, going for loose balls,” Castleton said after Wednesday’s win. “We were able to just claw, fight and we came out on top.”
Castleton also had nine rebounds, three assists and a block in the victory. The 6-11 forward leads the Gators with 15.1 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.1 blocks per contest this season.
Sophomore guard Will Richard is the only other double-figure scorer for Florida, averaging 10.1 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. Richard is shooting 41.2% from 3-point range this season and has scored in double digits in three of the last four contests.
Kentucky Starting To Come Together
The Kentucky Wildcats are making a run at another appearance in the NCAA Tournament after looking in danger of missing the Big Dance earlier in the season. Kentucky has won five straight conference contests, with only a home loss to No. 9 Kansas stopping a six-win run, after SEC campaign with a 1-3 mark.
Senior forward Oscar Tshiebwe has been the catalyst for Kentucky, leading the nation in rebounding with 13.6 per game while also scoring a team-high 16.5 points per contest. Tshiebwe is coming off a double-double of 14 points and 11 rebounds in the Wildcats’ win over Ole Miss on Tuesday.
Senior guard Antonio Reeves was outstanding against the Rebels, scoring 27 points in 31 minutes off the bench, including hitting 6-of-7 from 3-point range. Reeves has been instant offense for the Wildcats in his first season in the program since transferring from Illinois State, averaging 13.4 points per game despite mainly playing in a reserve role.
Senior forward Jacob Toppin has been solid throughout the 2022-23 campaign, averaging 11.5 points and 6.3 rebounds. He and freshman guard Cason Wallace (11.3 points, 3.6 assists, 2.0 steals) give the Wildcats solid wing play on both ends of the floor.
Florida vs Kentucky Injuries
Florida vs Kentucky Head-To-Head
The Kentucky Wildcats have dominated their all-time series against the Florida Gators, including winning six of the last seven meetings between the conference rivals. Florida’s last victory against Kentucky came on the road in February of 2021.
Overall, the Wildcats have a 106-41 advantage in the rivalry, including a 53-11 record at home, and they swept the two matchups between the schools a season ago. The college basketball lines for Saturday’s renewal of the rivalry are favoring Kentucky to make it three in a row against the Gators.
Florida vs Kentucky Information
- Game: Florida (13-9, 6-3 SEC) vs Kentucky (15-7, 6-3 SEC)
- Location: Rupp Arena
- Day/Time: Saturday, 8:30 p.m. ET
- Florida vs Kentucky Live Stream: TBS
Florida vs Kentucky Betting Lines
Florida vs Kentucky Picks and Prediction
The Florida Gators have one of the best big men in the SEC in Castleton, but they’ll be facing a Kentucky Wildcats team that has plenty of length on the front line. Florida doesn’t have enough firepower to stay with the hot Wildcats, as Kentucky should earn the victory.
When doing your college basketball betting, take Kentucky to win and cover at home.
Florida is listed at +175 in our Vegas lines. This means that if you wager $100 on Florida, you have a chance to win $175. Kentucky is -210, offering a chance to win $100 on a $48 wager.
The implied probability attached to the betting lines gives Florida a 36.36% chance to win, with Kentucky at 67.74%.
Florida vs Kentucky Trends
Florida vs Kentucky Edge
Florida vs Kentucky Results
Florida vs Kentucky Game Summary
