Feb. 15, 2026, 8:30 a.m. ET
The Kentucky Wildcats came up short against the Florida Gators on Saturday, and while they will drop outside of the top 25 teams in the country when the new Monday poll is released, hope is still there, as Mark Pope’s squad had a strong performance.
The Cats shot well from deep and competed on the glass. Their performance on the interior offensively and also in executing their game plan was poor. The Wildcats scored 83 points, but their ability to convert at the rim was pathetic, going 8-for-23 on layups, per Kentucky Sports Radio’s Tyler Thompson, something Pope highlighted in his postgame conference.
Florida also beat the Cats up on the offensive glass, ending with three more offensive rebounds. Kentucky also had three more turnovers and missed seven free throws. The small things are what the Cats need to clean up as they continue in SEC action. However, the effort was undoubtedly there, so while one could be upset with the outcome, this loss didn’t seem as infuriating as some earlier in the season.
Here’s what Pope had to say after the contest.
The Cats should still be in a good position moving forward, and destiny is in their hands. They have the ability to earn a double bye in the SEC Tournament should they perform at a relatively high level throughout the rest of the season.
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Kentucky will get the Georgia Bulldogs at home on Tuesday, with a 9 p.m. tip at Rupp Arena. It will face Auburn and South Carolina before having a rough last three games against Vanderbilt, Texas A&M, and Florida again.
Fans will get to learn quite a bit more about this team as they look to bounce back in a big way at home for their midweek battle.