The Gators are coming to town tomorrow night for what will be the biggest game of the season in Rupp Arena this year. The Louisville game was huge, but this one could propel the Cats into the top 10 and give them confidence for the end stretch of the regular season. Rupp will also be the site of ESPN’s College Gameday show that will air in the morning. Kentucky holds the all-time record for the largest crowd to attend the show and it will be interesting to see if they can challenge it tomorrow. With the entire ESPN crew in town and the whole day to get hyped for the game it will be an electric atmosphere in Rupp. The crowd during the Louisville game was as intense as they could be and this one should be the same.
Florida will enter the game ranked 3rd and 4th in the polls with a 22-2 record on the season. They have not lost a game in SEC play and are currently considered a 1 seed for the NCAA tournament. They have an experienced team that includes 4 seniors in their rotation. The leader of the Gators attack is point guard Scottie Wilbekin who does it all and plays well in the clutch. Containing him is the number one key to the game for Kentucky. He is capable of making shots from deep but is most effective and dangerous off the dribble in the lane. Casey Prather is a versatile small forward that leads them in scoring with elite athleticism and a slashing attack. Their inside game is focused on Patric Young who has seemingly been at Florida for seven years. He is a monster in the paint in terms of rebounding and sheer strength. The challenge for the Cats will be to keep him and Dorian Finney-Smith off the backboards as much as possible.
This Florida team may be comparable to their previous back to back championship teams due to their defensive play. They pressure the ball in both the full court and the half court as well as any team in the nation. How Andrew Harrison and company respond to that will be a huge factor in the game. If the Cats attack them aggressively by trying to beat them off the dribble it will be good for UK. If they are passive and tentative with the ball the Gators will make life extremely difficult for the Kentucky backcourt.
If the Cats hope to pull out the win it will require the entire team playing with a high level of energy from start to finish. Florida is capable of scoring points in spurts much like Louisville and weathering those streaks is a key to the game. The young Cats will need to play like men in this game because the four Senior Gators are hungry to pick up their first win in Rupp Arena. The players are aware of how big this game is and would love nothing more than to get the win. Multiple former Cats will be in attendance because of the NBA All Star break. The brotherhood that Cal has built is real and it will be visible on Saturday night. Despite many of them spending just one year here it is clear that they consider Lexington their home.
The game itself is almost guaranteed to be a knock down drag out of epic proportions. Expect a game of runs that will include multiple lead changes. Look for the Wildcats to play at a higher level than they have at any point this season. Cal has called for the crowd to be loud and to stand up for the final eight minutes of the game. The fans will come ready to answer both of those challenges and they will make their presence known. As the game comes down the stretch victory will be up for grabs for either team. My prediction is that the Cats will be the one to reach out and seize it to come away with a 74-72 win. Big Blue Nation is cautiously optimistic that maybe this team could be capable of making a run in March but they are looking for a sign to prove it. Saturday night could be the moment that this team and its fans begin to realize just how good it can be.
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