UF seeks huge win at Kentucky
The Florida Gators (15-7, 6-3 SEC) are on a roll yet still could miss out on an NCAA Tournament berth. A win today at Rupp Arena against Kentucky (16-6, 6-3) could help boost the Gators.
GAINESVILLE — UF coach Mike White knows wins at Kentucky’s Rupp Arena are rare, rare things.
Since his one and only win at Rupp, in 1998 as a junior point guard at Ole Miss, White has been married, had five kids and is now on his fourth job.
White, 38, now seeks his first win as a coach when the Gators visit the No. 20 Wildcats at 4 p.m. today. The game will air on CBS.
“It’s one of the famous arenas in sports,” White said. “It’s a significant home-court advantage, and Kentucky’s always good. You’ve got to bring your A-game just to be competitive up there.”
UF’s limited success at Kentucky has come from only the top teams in its program history.
The Gators’ three wins at Rupp since 1998 were by eventual Final Four teams — the 2006 and 2007 national title winners and the 2014 squad that won a school-record 30 straight games.
With five wins in their past six games, White’s Gators (15-7, 6-3 SEC) are on a roll yet still could miss out on an NCAA Tournament bid if they stumble badly down the stretch. A win at Kentucky would do wonders for UF’s rapidly improving NCAA résumé.
The young Wildcats (16-6, 6-3) are reeling a bit after back-to-back losses. Kentucky squandered a 21-point lead this past Tuesday at Tennessee, but a week ago nearly won at No. 4 Kansas, falling 90-84.
“They’re back at home and I’m sure they’re geared up,” White said. “They don’t lose two in a row a whole bunch.”
White is familiar with Kentucky’s rule of the SEC.
He actually was 2-3 as a player, but 2-8 against the Wildcats, including 0-3 on the road, during seven seasons as an Ole Miss assistant. This included an ugly 80-40 loss by the Rebels in 2006 at Rupp.
Things can get away from a visiting team quickly at the storied 23,500-seat arena.
“This will be my first time playing there,” said UF forward Justin Leon, a junior college transfer. “I know it’s a big atmosphere. They fill up every night. I know they just lost two straight … I know they’re going to come out with fire.
“We have to do the same thing and match their intensity.”
The Gators, meanwhile, are 12-1 at home and have averaged 88 points during their past four wins in the O’Connell Center.
“We’ve been a lot more aggressive offensively, getting each other good looks and not really being selfish and taking wild shots,” Leon said. “We’ve gotten ourselves a rhythm and we’ve just got to keep it up.”
But White’s team has struggled to carry its Agame out on the road, where UF is 2-5. Three of the losses were to ranked teams — Miami, Michigan State and Texas A&M.
“We haven’t had any easy opportunities on the road,” White said. “We’ve had a really tough schedule and here comes another one for us.”
To have a chance for the upset, the Gators first must contain Kentucky point guard Tyler Ulis. The Wildcats’ 5-foot-9, 165-pound ball of energy averages 11.7 points, 6.1 assists and sets the tone on both ends of the floor.
“He’s a really good decision-maker and he’s extremely tough,” White said. “He’s a little guy with an incredible motor and just doesn’t stop.”
White’s relentless style paved the way for a 73-64 win in Rupp Arena on Valentine’s Day 1998 over the eventual national champion Wildcats. White finished with16 points and six assists to give Ole Miss its only win at Kentucky other than in 1927.
A victory today would be just as big to White as his Gators look to take the next step as a team and pick up a signature road win.
“If you could somehow break through and have success in one of these,” he said, “of course, it gives you a huge boost.”