Gators Hold Off Kentucky in Gainesville Showdown, Extend Win Streak to Five
It wasn’t a masterpiece, but it didn’t need to be. The Florida Gators found a way to keep the good times rolling Saturday afternoon, outlasting the No.
25 Kentucky Wildcats 92-83 inside the Stephen C. O’Connell Center.
With the win, the 14th-ranked Gators extended their win streak to five and have now taken 10 of their last 11. More than just another check in the win column, this one came with some extra juice - it was the first time Florida hosted Kentucky in Gainesville since 2024, thanks to SEC scheduling changes.
And while it wasn’t always pretty, it was gritty - and that might be even more telling.
Florida’s Firepower Shows Up in Waves
This game was a tale of two halves - and two different sets of Gators stepping into the spotlight. In the first half, it was senior guard Xaivian Lee and junior forward Thomas Haugh who carried the load.
Lee came out hot, knocking down his first three shots from deep, while Haugh added muscle inside. Together, they accounted for 25 of Florida’s first 30 points, helping the Gators build a 15-point lead early behind a pair of quick runs (8-0 and 6-0).
That early surge was fueled by Florida’s defense, which forced eight Kentucky turnovers in just over 10 minutes - and turned them into 16 points. But as we’ve seen before in this rivalry, no lead is safe.
Kentucky responded with a 10-0 run of its own, capitalizing on some sloppy Florida possessions and quieting the crowd. Still, the Gators steadied themselves to take a nine-point lead into halftime.
Klavžar, Condon Close the Deal
After the break, Kentucky came out swinging again, ripping off a 7-0 run to cut Florida’s lead to just two less than two minutes into the half. But the Gators didn’t blink. They answered with six straight points and never gave the lead back.
That’s when junior guard Urban Klavžar and forward Alex Condon took over.
For nearly 10 minutes, the duo combined for 18 straight Florida points - including a 9-0 run that gave the Gators their largest lead of the game at 16. Klavžar, who was quiet in the first half, caught fire in the second, drilling five threes and finishing with 19 points on 7-of-13 shooting. His shot-making helped erase some stagnant offensive possessions and gave Florida the breathing room it needed.
Condon, meanwhile, played a mature, composed game. He finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds, not forcing much but making the most of his opportunities. The Gators needed someone to step up beyond Lee and Haugh - and they got two.
Fland Seals It
The final dagger came courtesy of sophomore guard Boogie Fland, who picked up his third steal with just 15.5 seconds left and calmly knocked down two free throws to push Florida’s lead back to nine. That capped a tense final stretch where Kentucky threatened once more, cutting the lead to five with under 40 seconds to go. Florida went 5-of-8 from the free throw line in the final 90 seconds - just enough to hold off the Wildcats, who kept it interesting with second-chance looks and a flurry of late threes.
Stat Lines That Tell the Story
Lee led all scorers with 22 points, going 4-of-7 from deep and 4-of-4 from the line. He also chipped in three assists, although he did commit a pair of turnovers after three straight turnover-free games. His hot start was a big reason Florida built its early cushion.
Haugh added 17 points and eight boards, doing most of his damage in the first half. Rueben Chinyelu, despite a sluggish start and some ball-handling issues, still posted a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds - his eighth in the last 10 games.
And while Fland struggled from the perimeter (0-for-3 from deep, now 1-of-20 since Jan. 17), he’s finding other ways to contribute. Over his last four games, he’s racked up 14 assists and 14 steals - a sign that he’s embracing a role as a defensive disruptor and facilitator.
Numbers Behind the Win
Florida’s recent success isn’t a fluke - the numbers back it up. The Gators improved to:
- 17-1 when leading at halftime
- 19-1 when leading with five minutes left
- 19-4 when outrebounding their opponent
- 14-1 when shooting 45% or better from the field
- 17-0 when outshooting the opponent
- 15-2 when attempting more free throws
- 12-2 when winning the bench scoring battle
- 18-2 when four or more players score in double figures
- 12-0 when five or more players hit double digits
They also improved to 43-111 all-time against Kentucky, and 27-41 in Gainesville. More importantly, this marked Todd Golden’s first home win over the Wildcats as Florida’s head coach - a milestone that speaks to the program’s upward trajectory under his leadership.
What It Means
This is the kind of game Florida hasn’t always won in recent years. A 15-point lead nearly vanished.
Then, a 16-point lead did the same. But instead of folding, the Gators found answers.
Klavžar and Condon stepped up. Chinyelu battled back.
Fland made plays on defense. And Lee, despite a few rushed second-half shots, continued his strong run of form with 56 points, 15 assists, five steals, and just two turnovers over his last four games.
Florida’s three-point shooting - a sore spot most of the season - is trending in the right direction, too. The Gators hit 35.7% from beyond the arc in this one, marking the fifth time in eight games they’ve topped their season average. It’s not elite yet, but it’s progress - and that’s what this team keeps showing.
They’re not perfect. But they’re tough, balanced, and increasingly dangerous. And with March creeping closer, that’s exactly where you want to be.