Three Takeaways from Florida Hoops' Narrow Loss to Kentucky

The Gators squandered an opportunity to post a monumental victory on Saturday versus No. 6 Kentucky. Here are three takeaways from the contest.

Photo: Gators guard Zyon Pullin; Credit: Zach Goodall

A promising showing ended in heartbreak for the Gators on Saturday afternoon.

After leading by 11 points with 2:10 remaining in the first half, and taking an eight-point lead into the break, Florida lost its footing against the No. 6 Kentucky Wildcats in the closing stages of the contest to let another signature win opportunity slip through their grasps.

After re-watching the bout, All Gators provides three big-picture takeaways from the 87-85 defeat and a brief look forward for Florida men's hoops.

Missed opportunities squander Florida's chance for a résumé-defining win

Saturday wasn't the first time the Gators have missed the chance to assert themselves into the national spotlight during the 2023-24 season.

They've contested their Quadrant-I foes tightly thus far, going 1-3 against the likes of Pitt, Baylor, Wake Forest and Kentucky in the first 14 appearances of the year, but have failed to get over the hump as it pertains to besting a team thought to be a contender in college basketball during the current campaign. A Quad-II loss, teetering on the line of Quad-I, to Virginia also appears on UF's resume.

The most notable example of the failure to grasp prominence was in Florida's early-season bout with Baylor, where the Gators — despite missing big man Micah Handlogten due to injury — went blow for blow with the Bears in the NIT Season Tip-Off in Brooklyn, N.Y. They ultimately fell 96-91, but the defeat wasn't season-defining.

Instead, the five-point loss signaled Florida's potential to compete with the sport's elite, primarily because of the offensive firepower — averaging 86.2 points per game (11th) as the 12th most up-tempo team in the country per Kenpom.

The Gators showcased their fortitude again against the Wildcats at home in the SEC opener, taking Kentucky — which has garnered league-winning expectations following their play in the non-conference schedule — to the wire.

But, once more, it wasn't enough. Florida dropped the contest 87-85 despite the valiant effort.

While UK certainly performed well down the stretch to escape victorious, UF's missed opportunities in the second half can be pointed to confidently as reasons for the collapse.

Todd Golden coaching during Florida's SEC opening matchup with Kentucky on Jan. 6. He expressed frustration about the team's inability to take advantage of open looks in the second half / Zach Goodall

Namely, after connecting on eight three-point field goals in the first half, Florida shot just 1-for-11 (9%) from beyond the arc in the second half despite several open looks. The inefficiency in the area stung the most, according to Florida head coach Todd Golden.

"The thing that's bothering me more right now is I thought we missed some really good looks, and in the moment, a game like this, great atmosphere, the crowd was amazing, you feel like you've got to step up and knock some of those down," Golden said postgame. "And obviously free throws are a part of that, but I'm struggling more with the 1-for-11 from 3 in the second half because I thought we took really good shots."

The unit's struggles at the charity stripe continued as well, as they went just 18-for-29 (62.1%) on the day to leave valuable points on the board. They trailed Kentucky by two in the battle, ultimately allowing the Wildcats to secure the win late as guard Reed Sheppard connected on six in a row in the final 30 seconds.

Defensively, the pesky effort to turn the stingy 'Cats over seven times in the first 20 minutes evaporated in the second half. Florida's ball screen coverage wavered, as did its ability to force turnovers, coming away with just twice in the second half to sit just below the nation's 14th-ranked average of turnovers per game Kentucky has posted this season.

So, while a narrow loss to the sixth-ranked can be considered promising for an up-and-coming program in year two under a new coach, a win was there for the taking, making it a tough pill to swallow.

There are no moral victories. The Gators' head coach said as much following the encouraging yet simultaneously disappointing outing against John Calipari's squad.

The team's talent is not the issue. They've proven they can hang. What they haven't proven is that they can win. And it comes down to taking advantage of the opportunities provided to them in-game.

It's one of several chances the Gators will get to earn a statement victory this season, as more are presented both home and away on the remaining schedule. 

But, the loss makes it uber-important to capitalize the next time one arises.

The Gators' first-half effort was indicative of the team's fortitude

One question the Gators quickly answered in the SEC opener was: Are they up for the challenge?

Despite falling behind 8-4 in the early going, Florida proved it belonged alongside the No. 6 Wildcats quickly in the first period, outperforming Kentucky in nearly every aspect of the game in the first 20 minutes.

In the shooting department, the Gators knocked down 45% of their shots from the floor, accounting for 16 points in the paint, and 40% of their three-point attempts en route to an impressive eight-made triples. They scored on nearly half of their offensive possessions, posting 1.154 points per.

Riley Kugel's re-emergence as a scorer as Walter Clayton Jr.'s sharpshooting prowess significantly contributed to the effectiveness offensively.

Gators guard Riley Kugel putting back his missed three-pointer in the first half against No. 6 Kentucky at home. He finished with 15 points, four rebounds and two steals in the 87-85 loss.  / Zach Goodall

Florida's eight assists to three turnovers showcased the unit's efficiency.

Meanwhile, the Gators also proved game defensively, feeding off the sold-out Stephen C. O'Connell Center to force Kentucky into uncharacteristic mistakes with the basketball. They forced seven first-half turnovers on a team averaging just over nine per game, although UF came away with just four points to show.

It threw the Cats' offense out of rhythm, resulting in a 10% shooting mark from beyond the three-point line and just 0.925 points per possession on Saturday. 

The first-half showing catapulted them to be tied or in the lead for 34:35 of the 40 total minutes.

Producing completely will become a paramount focus to turn the narrow losses into wins moving forward. However, the promising first-half output against an opponent of the caliber of Kentucky presents a firm launch point for the Gators moving forward into the bulk of SEC play.

Florida's backcourt is built for March

The leading intangible for teams who have made waves in March over the past several NCAA Tournaments, a dynamic backcourt is nearly always present.

In 2023-24, the Gators have proven on multiple occasions they have a multi-faceted pool of guards to lean on, including against Kentucky.

Veteran guard Zyon Pullin led the effort by posting 23 points, three assists, three rebounds, one steal and just one turnover to earn the MVP tab in the game from Kenpom. His steady hand as a ball handler and floor general, as well as his ability to take control in moments of struggle for the remainder of the unit, proved paramount for Florida from start to finish.

Clayton and Kugel also found vast success as they posted 23 and 15 points, respectively, on the night. The trio accounted for 71.8% of the unit's scoring production, accounting for 61 of the team's 85 points.

The intriguing part? They're not alone.

Despite an off-night against the Cats, shooting 0-for-7 from beyond the arc, junior wing Will Richard had realized his best stretch of play in orange and blue threads in the previous five games.

Richard shot 52.5% from the field, 45.9% from three and realized back-to-back games of five made triples while displaying an unprecedented level of confidence while posting 17.4 points per game in those outings. He performed as the prototypical 3-and-D role player Florida expected him to be when Golden and Co. took over in March 2022.

A combination of three of the four players guiding the unit became a trend amid Florida's six-game winning streak in December. Not to mention Denzel Aberdeen's ever-increasing role off the bench.

Simply put, it's a talented, productive and deep guard room. Historically, it brings good things.

That isn't to say frontcourt production doesn't matter. It does.

Florida Gators center Alex Condon laying the ball up against No. 6 Kentucky. He accounted for 10 points, four rebounds and two assists in the 87-85 loss to the Wildcats / Zach Goodall

The impact of Tyrese Samuel, Micah Handlogten, Alex Condon and even Thomas Haugh is a significant factor in Florida's 10-4 record due to their prowess on the boards.

But, looking at previous years, teams relying on their bigs as primary scoring options have tapped out in the early stages of the tournament.

Purdue with Zach Edey, Kentucky with Oscar Tshiebwe and Michigan with Hunter Dickinson are notable examples of the reality. They're player-of-the-year caliber talents but haven't, or didn't, guide their respective teams to glory.

Florida has direct experience with this reality.

It failed to make the tournament in 2021-22 and 2022-23 despite having a professional-caliber big man in Colin Castleton to work through in the pick-and-roll game and the post. That isn't the formula for success in the modern NCAA landscape.

Meanwhile, under-the-radar programs like Miami, FAU and San Diego State appeared in last year's Final Four due to their stout guard play. 

As a result, Golden's plan to build the team backcourt-first, which worked for him at San Fransisco, this offseason can pay dividends for the Gators if, and likely when, they reach the big dance during the 2023-24 campaign.

Their impact against Kentucky is just the tip of the iceberg.

What's next?

The challenges don't end for Florida following the narrow loss to Kentucky.

Next up on the slate is a road contest against an Ole Miss squad freshly removed from its first loss of the season to Tennessee on Saturday in Knoxville. The Rebels have realized a quick turnaround in year one under new head coach Chris Beard in Oxford. They hold a 13-1 record with Quad-II wins over Memphis and NC State.

However, Ole Miss ranks just No. 84 per Kempom and No. 67 in the NET, compared to Florida's No. 37 and No. 48. In their first matchup against a Quadrant-I opponent, the Rebels crumbled.

As a result, despite the early season success of Beard and Co. to make the bout highly anticipated, it is one the Gators should and need to win to right the ship after a disappointing conference opener.

Tip-off is scheduled for 9 p.m. ET on Wednesday. 

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