The No. 5 Florida Gators head to Rupp Arena on Saturday, aiming to secure their first regular-season sweep against the Kentucky Wildcats nce the 2017-18 season.
Recalling the Last Sweep
During the 2017-18 season, Florida claimed victory in Lexington with a narrow 66-64 win. Four Gators reached double-digit scoring, led by Jalen Hudson’s 17 points and five rebounds. Keith Stone added 14 points, Chris Chiozza contributed 13, and Kevaughn Allen scored 11.
Defenve prowess proved decive, as Kentucky shot just 40% from the field on 65 attempts and 23.5% from three-point range on 17 tries. Florida forced 17 turnovers and blocked four shots.
Florida followed up with an 80-67 rout in Gainesville. Hudson again topped the scoring with 22 points, shooting 53.3% from the field and 3-for-6 from beyond the arc. Egor Koulechov added 16 points, Allen 11, and Stone 10.
Current Hot Streak and First Clash
Florida rides a 10-game winning streak into the rematch, including a 92-83 home victory over Kentucky on Feb. 14. Xaivian Lee led with 22 points, while Urban Klavzar scored 19, Thomas Haugh 17, Alex Condon 14, and Rueben Chinyelu 10. Chinyelu and Condon each notched double-doubles.
“Yeah, not a lot’s changed,” Florida head coach Todd Golden stated. “I think they were playing well when we played them, thought they played well against us, and they have some really nice weapons.”
“I do think our guys are committed to being competitive regardless of the circumstance. If you’re not excited to go into Rupp and play, then this isn’t the program for you,” Golden added.
Facing the Rupp Arena Test
Kentucky boasts a 6-2 conference record at home this 2025-26 season. Florida holds a challenging 12-55 all-time road record in Lexington and stands 4-14 in the last 18 road games against the Wildcats.
Under Golden, Florida owns a 1-2 mark in Rupp Arena, with the two losses totaling just 11 points. The Gators’ win came in 2023-24, a 94-91 overtime thriller featuring Walter Clayton Jr.’s 23 points and seven threes, Tyrese Samuel’s 22 points, 13 rebounds, and four blocks, plus Zyon Pullin’s 21 points, seven rebounds, and seven assts.
“It’s a good place, tough place to play, but there’s a number of other ones in our league that I would say are really tough to play in as well,” Golden noted. “But the tradition and history that come with that program bring a little more excitement leading up to the game. And it’s a fun place to compete.”
The matchup tips off at 4 p.m. Saturday on ESPN or ESPN2.
