< Previous10 @KentuckyMBBIt's Easy to SAVE with the Kroger App Score big with weekly sales and digital coupons Official Grocery Partner of UK AthleticsWEEKNIGHTS 7:30 p.m. SATURDAY 9:00 a.m.KENTUCKY BASKETBALL 14 @KentuckyMBB From Press Row Last Time Out: Florida Recap For the first 30 minutes, Kentucky fresh- man Aaron Bradshaw had his share of strug- gles. But over the last 10 minutes, the Rah- way, New Jersey native made big plays to help his sixth-ranked Cats beat the Gators 87-85 at the Exatech Center in Gainesville. Bradshaw missed his first four shots in the game, but made his last three shots, in- cluding a huge three late in the game, on his way to 10 points. He added seven re- bounds, two steals and a huge blocked shot as UK rallied to win in the second half. Kentucky got 19 points from Antonio Reeves and 14 apiece from Reed Sheppard and D.J. Wagner. Tre Mitchell had 12 points and 10 rebounds. Things started well for Kentucky as the Cats took a 6-2 advantage less than three minutes into the game. But the Gators got things going, putting together a 14-4 run to take a 16-10 lead. Kentucky would fight back, behind five points from Reeves and four from Sheppard, to get within one, 22-21. The Cats would tie the game at 27-27 on a basket and free throw by Ugonna Onyenso. Florida would respond with a 12-2 run to lead by double digits, 39-29, with 3:55 left in the first half. The Cats would again fight back, this time behind Mitchell and Reeves, to get within six, 43-37. But the Gators got the last basket of the half and took a 45-37 advantage into the break. UK made just one of 10 from behind the arc in the first half and committed seven turnovers with just two assists. The second half started much like the first, with UK going on a 7-2 run, including five points from Reeves, to cut the deficit to 47-44. The run would continue and would eventually give the Cats a lead, 51-49, on a Wagner three. That lead would last just 17 seconds as Florida responded by scoring the next nine points, grabbing a 58-51 lead in the process. Wagner stopped the run with a layup and free throw to get UK back within four. And when Sheppard hit a three, the Cats were within one, 58-57. Florida had the answer again, stretch- ing the lead to 65-59 with 9:42 to play. But Kentucky would not go away. The Cats kept chipping away at the Gators’ lead and eventually tied the game at 72 apiece on a Reeves basket and free throw. The game would be tied at 74 and 76 before Bradshaw blocked an Alex Condon shot on the defensive end, then drilled a three from the top of the key to give Ken- tucky a 79-76 lead with 1:27 remaining. Kentucky would get a defensive stop, then Onyenso hit one of two at the line, giving UK an 80-76 lead with 1:04 to play. UK would go up 81-76 before Florida got a three-point play to get within two, 81-79, with 30 sec- onds remaining. Sheppard calm- ly made a pair of free throws with 19 seconds left to extend the UK lead to 83-79. Florida got two Zyon Pullin free throws with 15 seconds left. After Sheppard made two free throws with eight seconds left, Flor- ida got a driving layup to get with- in two with three seconds remaining. Sheppard would seal the deal with two more free throws, this time with two seconds remain- ing. Florida got a pair of free throws from Condon with one second left to provide the final margin. Playing the New Role of Underdog Led by 15th-year head coach John Calipa- ri, Kentucky was picked fourth in the South- eastern Conference Preseason Poll, behind Tennessee, Texas A&M and Arkansas. Fresh- man Justin Edwards was named to the pre- season All-SEC First Team, while senior Anto- nio Reeves garnered preseason All-SEC Sec- ond Team laurels by the media. The coaches voted Reeves to the first team and Edwards to the early-season second team. • UK has won the regular-season title 49 times in the history of the program • Kentucky has captured the SEC Tourna- ment crown 31 times • Calipari has directed his teams to regular-season SEC crowns in 2010, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2020 • Kentucky has claimed the SEC Tour- nament title six times under his direction in 2010, 2011, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 Limited Men's Basketball Tickets Remain for 2024 Home Games Tickets for nearly all of Kentucky Men’s Basketball’s remaining home games are sold out. Limited tickets remain for a few week- night Southeastern Conference matchups: the Wednesday, Jan. 31 game vs. Florida at 8 p.m. ET, the Tuesday, Feb. 13 matchup with Ole Miss at 9 p.m. and the Wednesday, March 6 home finale vs. Vanderbilt tipping off at 9 p.m. Seats are still being held for upcoming student distributions. Limited student tickets remain for the Tuesday, Jan. 8 game vs. Mis- souri, and the Jan. 17 matchup with Missis- sippi State. Limited GovX ticket inventory for select games is still available for qualifying mem- bers. Military, law enforcement, fire, emer- gency medical services, and government employees can take advantage through UKathletics.com/GovX, while supplies last. With large crowds expected throughout the new year, fans are reminded to down- load tickets in advance, arrive early and re- view gameday procedures. Considering the intense demand for tick- ets, fans are asked to review important re- minders about security. Fans are urged to use caution against counterfeit and invalid tickets.Thank You to Our CORNERSTONE PARTNERS OFFICIAL BANK OF UK ATHLETICSNEKENTUCKY BASKETBALL 18 @KentuckyMBB Around the SEC Around the Country 2023-24 SEC Standings and Statistics Team SEC Overall Home Road South Carolina 1-0 13-1 9-0 1-1 Auburn 1-0 12-2 7-0 1-1 Kentucky 1-0 11-2 7-1 2-0 Georgia 1-0 11-3 9-0 2-0 Tennessee 1-0 11-3 8-0 1-1 Alabama 1-0 9-5 6-1 1-1 LSU 1-0 9-5 6-2 1-1 Ole Miss 0-1 13-1 9-0 2-1 Mississippi State 0-1 11-3 5-1 0-2 Florida 0-1 10-4 6-1 0-1 Arkansas 0-1 9-5 7-2 0-0 Texas A&M 0-1 9-5 5-2 2-1 Missouri 0-1 8-6 6-3 2-1 Vanderbilt 0-1 5-9 5-5 0-1 Scoring Player-Team ...................................................................PPG Mark Sears, ALA ............................................................19.4 Antonio Reeves, UK ......................................................19.0 Meechie Johnson, SC .....................................................18.2 Wade Taylor IV, TAMU ...................................................18.0 Sean East II, MIZZOU ....................................................17.1 Rebounding Player-Team ...................................................................RPG Tyrese Samuel, UF ...........................................................8.7 Henry Coleman III, TAMU ...............................................8.7 Johni Broome, AUB .........................................................8.6 Jimmy Bell Jr., MISS ST ....................................................8.6 Andersson Garcia, TAMU ................................................8.4 Assists Player-Team ...................................................................APG Zakai Zeigler, UT .............................................................4.9 Zyon Pullin, UF ...............................................................4.8 Ta'Lon Cooper, SC ...........................................................4.6 Rob Dillingham, UK ........................................................4.2 Wade Taylor IV, TAMU .....................................................4.2 Steals Player-Team ...................................................................SPG Cameron Matthews, MISS ST ...........................................2.6 Reed Sheppard, UK .........................................................2.5 Wade Taylor IV, TAMU .....................................................2.4 Jordan Wright, LSU ..........................................................2.3 Matthew Murrell, MISS ....................................................2.1 Blocks Player-Team ...................................................................BPG Jamarion Sharp, MISS ......................................................2.6 Johni Broome, AUB .........................................................2.0 Aidan Shaw, MIZZOU .....................................................1.7 Trevon Brazile, ARK .........................................................1.6 Jonas Aidoo, UT ..............................................................1.4 2023-24 Coaches Poll Rankings As of January 8, 2024 (week 10) Team Record Points 1 Purdue (21) 14-1 788 2 Houston (10) 14-0 762 3 Kansas (1) 13-1 754 4 UConn 13-2 685 5 Tennessee 11-3 661 6 Kentucky 11-2 628 7 North Carolina 11-3 592 8 Arizona 12-3 556 9 Oklahoma 13-1 490 10 Illinois 11-3 455 11 Duke 11-3 446 12 Marquette 11-4 428 13 Memphis 13-2 410 14 Baylor 12-2 378 15 Wisconsin 11-3 341 16 Auburn 12-2 301 17 BYU 12-2 251 18 Colorado State 13-2 221 19 San Diego State 13-2 198 20 Creighton 11-4 147 21 Gonzaga 11-4 146 22 Clemson 11-3 133 23 Utah State 14-1 77 Ole Miss 13-1 77 25 Florida Atlantic 11-4 58 (through January 6 games)We’re your Shield. 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