{"id":155350,"date":"2026-02-14T09:07:11","date_gmt":"2026-02-14T09:07:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/155350\/"},"modified":"2026-02-14T09:07:11","modified_gmt":"2026-02-14T09:07:11","slug":"no-25-kentucky-at-no-14-florida-preview-odds-how-to-watch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/155350\/","title":{"rendered":"No. 25 Kentucky at No. 14 Florida: Preview, Odds & How to Watch"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s the battle for No. 1 in the SEC as No. 25 Kentucky <\/a>travels down to Gainesville to take on No. 14 Florida in enemy territory, the Wildcats looking for a ninth win in ten outings. Find a way to take care of business and Mark Pope<\/a>\u2018s group controls its own destiny for a regular season league championship, despite starting 0-2 to begin conference play.<\/p>\n

To do it, though, they\u2019ll have to slow down the best frontcourt in college basketball and a team that has won nine of ten itself. It\u2019ll be UK\u2019s toughest challenge yet in the ranked Valentine\u2019s Day matchup.<\/p>\n

KSR has everything you need to know about Saturday\u2019s mid-afternoon contest inside the O\u2019Dome.<\/p>\n

No. 25 Kentucky vs. No. 14 Florida: How to Watch, Listen<\/p>\n

Tipoff: Saturday, 3:00 p.m. ET<\/p>\n

TV: ABC (Karl Ravech, Jimmy Dykes)<\/p>\n

Local Radio: UK Sports Network (Tom Leach, Goose Givens)<\/p>\n

AM: 840 WHAS, 630 WLAP<\/p>\n

FM: 98.1 WBUL<\/p>\n

Online:\u00a0iHeart Radio<\/a><\/p>\n

Sirius XM: 385<\/p>\n

You can also follow along on the KSR LIVE BLOG, which will start a few hours before tipoff, and join the conversation on\u00a0KSBoard<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Lock in for the 2025 Kentucky Basketball season with KSR Plus! We\u2019re giving you behind-the-scenes intel you won\u2019t find anywhere else. Join the most passionate online community in the BBN during Mark Pope\u2019s second season.<\/a><\/p>\n

Season Rewind<\/p>\n

Kentucky: KenPom 27<\/p>\n

11\/4: 77-51 W vs. Nicholls<\/p>\n

11\/7: 107-59 W vs. Valparaiso<\/p>\n

11\/11: 96-88 L at No. 12 Louisville<\/p>\n

11\/14: 99-53 W vs. Eastern Illinois<\/p>\n

11\/18: 83-66 L vs. No. 17 Michigan State<\/p>\n

11\/21: 88-46 W vs. Loyola (Md.)<\/p>\n

11\/26: 104-54 W vs. Tennessee Tech<\/p>\n

12\/2: 67-64 L vs. No. 16 North Carolina<\/p>\n

12\/5: 94-59 L vs. No. 11 Gonzaga<\/p>\n

12\/9: 103-67 W vs. NC Central<\/p>\n

12\/13: 72-60 W vs. Indiana<\/p>\n

12\/20: 78-66 W vs. No. 22 St. John\u2019s<\/p>\n

12\/23: 99-85 W vs. Bellarmine<\/p>\n

1\/3: 89-74 L at No. 14 Alabama<\/p>\n

1\/7: 73-68 L vs. Missouri<\/p>\n

1\/10: 92-68 W vs. Mississippi State<\/p>\n

1\/14: 75-74 W at LSU<\/p>\n

1\/17: 80-78 W at No. 24 Tennessee<\/p>\n

1\/21: 85-80 W vs. Texas<\/p>\n

1\/24: 72-63 W vs. Ole Miss<\/p>\n

1\/27: 80-55 L at No. 18 Vanderbilt<\/p>\n

1\/31: 85-77 W at No. 15 Arkansas<\/p>\n

2\/4: 94-78 W vs. Oklahoma<\/p>\n

2\/7: 74-71 W vs. No. 25 Tennessee<\/p>\n

Florida: KenPom 5<\/p>\n

11\/3: 93\u201387 L vs. Arizona<\/p>\n

11\/6: 104\u201364 W vs. North Florida<\/p>\n

11\/11: 78\u201376 W vs. Florida St.<\/p>\n

11\/16: 82\u201368 W vs. Miami (FL)<\/p>\n

11\/21: 80\u201345 W vs. Merrimack<\/p>\n

11\/27: 84\u201380 L vs. TCU<\/p>\n

11\/28: 90\u201378 W vs. Providence<\/p>\n

12\/2: 67\u201366 L at Duke<\/p>\n

12\/9: 77\u201373 L at Connecticut<\/p>\n

12\/13: 80\u201370 W vs. George Washington<\/p>\n

12\/17: 102\u201361 W vs. Saint Francis<\/p>\n

12\/21: 90\u201360 W vs. Colgate<\/p>\n

12\/29: 94\u201372 W vs. Dartmouth<\/p>\n

1\/3: 76\u201374 L at Missouri<\/p>\n

1\/6: 92\u201377 W vs. Georgia<\/p>\n

1\/10: 91\u201367 W vs. Tennessee<\/p>\n

1\/13: 96\u201379 W at Oklahoma<\/p>\n

1\/17: 98\u201394 W at Vanderbilt<\/p>\n

1\/20: 79\u201361 W vs. LSU<\/p>\n

1\/24: 76\u201367 L vs. Auburn<\/p>\n

1\/28: 95\u201348 W at South Carolina<\/p>\n

2\/1: 100\u201377 W vs. Alabama<\/p>\n

2\/7: 86\u201367 W at Texas A&M<\/p>\n

2\/11: 86\u201366 W at Georgia<\/p>\n

Series History<\/p>\n

Kentucky leads the all-time series 111-42, including a 41-26 mark in Gainesville, last playing at the O\u2019Dome in 2024 with no losses in the building since 2018 for six straight victories. <\/p>\n

Pope went 1-0 against the Gators last year \u2014 that head-to-head battle among the best in college basketball all season, winning 106-100 inside Rupp Arena. Koby Brea caught fire in that one, going 7-9 from three for 23 points, followed by Lamont Butler with 19, Otega Oweh with 16, Amari Williams with 15 and Andrew Carr and Jaxson Robinson with 14 apiece. Walter Clayton and Alijah Martin combined for 59 in the losing effort for UF.<\/p>\n

Todd Golden is 1-4 in his career against UK, his lone win coming in 2023-24, a 94-91 overtime victory against John Calipari\u2019s final group in Lexington.<\/p>\n

Kentucky at Florida Odds<\/p>\n

The Wildcats have opened as 11.5-point underdogs with the over\/under set at 152.5 and a projected score of 82.5-70.5.<\/p>\n

That aligns with the computers, which unanimously like the Gators \u2014 and by a lot \u2014 starting with\u00a0KenPom<\/a>\u00a0giving the Cats just a 17 percent chance to pull off the upset and a projected score of 81-70. Elsewhere,\u00a0Bart Torvik<\/a>\u00a0really\u00a0doesn\u2019t like Kentucky in the O-Dome, giving Mark Pope\u2019s team just a 10 percent shot to win with a projected score of 83-68. At least\u00a0ESPN\u2019s Matchup Predictor<\/a>\u00a0isn\u2019t totally counting out UK with the road team given a 20.5 percent chance.<\/p>\n

Kentucky Potential Starters<\/p>\n

\"Denzel<\/p>\n

#1 \u2013\u00a0Denzel Aberdeen<\/a>
6-5 \u2013 195 \u2013 GUARD \u2013 SENIOR
12.3 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 3.2 APG<\/p>\n

\"Collin<\/p>\n

#5 \u2013\u00a0Collin Chandler<\/a>
6-5 \u2013 205 \u2013 GUARD \u2013 SOPHOMORE
9.4 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 2.2 APG<\/p>\n

\"Otega<\/p>\n

#00 \u2013\u00a0Otega Oweh<\/a>
6-4 \u2013 215 \u2013 GUARD \u2013 SENIOR
17.1 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 2.5 APG<\/p>\n

\"Andrija<\/p>\n

#4 \u2013\u00a0Andrija Jelavic<\/a>
6-11 \u2013 225 \u2013 FORWARD \u2013 JUNIOR
5.7 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 0.7 APG<\/p>\n

\"Malachi<\/p>\n

#24 \u2013\u00a0Malachi Moreno<\/a>
7-0 \u2013 250 \u2013 CENTER \u2013 FRESHMAN
8.4 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 1.8 APG<\/p>\n

Florida Potential Starters<\/p>\n

\"Boogie<\/p>\n

#0 \u2013 Boogie Fland<\/a>
6-3 \u2013 185 \u2013 GUARD \u2013 SOPHOMORE
11.4 PPG, 3.8 APG, 2.5 RPG<\/p>\n

\"Xaivian<\/p>\n

#1 \u2013 Xaivian Lee<\/a>
6-4 \u2013 180 \u2013 GUARD \u2013 SENIOR
11.0 PPG, 3.5 APG, 3.9 RPG<\/p>\n

\"Thomas<\/p>\n

#10 \u2013 Thomas Haugh<\/a>
6-9 \u2013 215 \u2013 FORWARD \u2013 JUNIOR
17.5 PPG, 2.1 APG, 6.3 RPG<\/p>\n

\"Alex<\/p>\n

#21 \u2013 Alex Condon<\/a>
6-11 \u2013 230 \u2013 FORWARD \u2013 JUNIOR
13.3 PPG, 3.6 APG, 7.9 RPG<\/p>\n

\"Rueben<\/p>\n

#9 \u2013 Rueben Chinyelu<\/a>
6-10 \u2013 260 \u2013 CENTER \u2013 JUNIOR
11.8 PPG, 11.8 RPG, 1.1 BPG<\/p>\n

Statistical Comparison<\/p>\n

(via Kentucky\u2019s game notes)<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Fun stats from UK\u2019s game notes:<\/p>\n

Kentucky earned its fifth double-digit comeback effort of the season vs. No. 25 Tennessee, rallying back from down 14 at the break for the largest Rupp Arena halftime deficit and win in history.<\/p>\n

Otega Oweh has scored in double figures in all 24 games for Kentucky this season and has now reached double figures in 57 of his 60 games as a Wildcat. He is one of 12 players in DI to reach double figures in each of his team\u2019s games this year. He needs just five points to hit the 1,000-point mark at UK \u2014 potentially one of five transfers in history to reach the milestone.<\/p>\n

The Wildcats have won eight of nine and 12 of 15. Since Pope\u2019s arrival in 2024-25, they have racked up 17 Quad 1 victories and 12 against top 25 competition.<\/p>\n

UK has played just 10 of 60 games (17%) with a full roster and just five of 45 games (11%) against high-major opponents under Pope. 10 different players have missed at least one game due to injury in the last two seasons.<\/p>\n

Pregame Storylines<\/p>\n

A BATTLE FOR NO. 1 IN THE SEC<\/p>\n

No storyline is more important than what\u2019s on the line for both teams, a win solidifying the No. 1 spot in the SEC with just six regular season games to go and four weeks until Nashville. As things stand currently, the Gators are at the top of the standings at 9-2 in the league, followed by the Wildcats and Arkansas Razorbacks at 8-3. A win for Kentucky would give Mark Pope\u2019s squad the head-to-head advantage against both other competitors, allowing UK to control its destiny for a regular season title in the SEC. <\/p>\n

Should the Cats leave with a loss, though, it\u2019s hard to see the Gators giving up that top spot the rest of the way with two Quad 3 games and one Quad 2 matchup to go. They can still earn a double-bye in the SEC Tournament either way, but if they\u2019re serious about winning the league, they need to win in Gainesville. <\/p>\n

SLOWING DOWN THE THREE-HEADED MONSTER IN THE FRONTCOURT<\/p>\n

If the Wildcats are going to do it, they\u2019re going to have to neutralize one of the best three-man groups in the country, making up the entire frontcourt for the Gators. Thomas Haugh leads the way with 17.5 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 2.1 APG and 1.0 SPG, followed by Alex Condon with 13.3 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 3.6 APG and 1.5 BPG and Rueben Chinyelu with 11.8 PPG, 11.8 RPG and 1.1 BPG \u2014 their leading scorers being their three, four and five, respectively.<\/p>\n

With the unique combination of size, skill and versatility, Florida ranks No. 1 in rebounding margin, average and on the offensive glass while also sitting at No. 5 in defensive two-point field goal percentage with the No. 5 overall defense and No. 14 offense in adjusted efficiency. They\u2019re just No. 349 in three-point shooting, but that\u2019s been no problem, thanks to the frontcourt dominance.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cI don\u2019t know if they\u2019re the biggest frontline in the country, but they\u2019re definitely the most experienced and tenured and have the most winning under their belts,\u201d Pope said. \u201cThey know exactly who they are. They know exactly how they do this. They\u2019re a dominant force.\u201d<\/p>\n

DENZEL ABERDEEN RETURNS HOME<\/p>\n

It was an ugly breakup coming off Florida\u2019s national championship run with Aberdeen expected to take over as a starter after paying his dues off the bench, only to enter the transfer portal when negotiations went south. Now, he\u2019s PG1 at Kentucky, returning to Gainesville for the first time after spending his first three seasons of college basketball there under Golden. To take it a step further, the 6-5 senior is a native of Orlando, just 111 miles away from campus \u2014 meaning he\u2019ll have plenty of friends and family in attendance. <\/p>\n

Aberdeen isn\u2019t expecting Valentine\u2019s Day cards and chocolates upon his arrival, but he\u2019s ready for the challenge.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt might not be that much love on that day, for sure. It\u2019s going to be a battle for sure,\u201d he\u00a0said<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

He\u2019s averaging 13.0 points and 3.1 assists during SEC play while shooting 39.1 percent from deep, six games with 15-plus dating back to January 10. Pope expects his primary ball-handler to continue to thrive, no matter the stage, opponent or who is sitting in the stands. This is what he does.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s a competitor, competitor, competitor. The brighter the lights, the more excited he gets, the more capable he gets,\u201d his new head coach said. \u201cHe functions well there.\u201d<\/p>\n

DON\u2019T FORGET ABOUT BOOGIE FLAND<\/p>\n

Remember Boogie? He signed with Kentucky out of high school and was John Calipari\u2019s point guard of the future in Lexington \u2014 until he wasn\u2019t. <\/p>\n

The former five-star followed Coach Cal to Arkansas and had a solid freshman campaign, averaging 13.5 points, 5.1 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 31.7 minutes per contest. He was limited to just 21 games played due to injury, though, before deciding to find a new home this past offseason, leading him to Gainesville under Golden.<\/p>\n

There, he\u2019s averaging 11.4 points, 3.8 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 2.0 steals with shooting splits of 43\/19\/72. The former Wildcat pledge has shined in big moments, but inconsistency has limited him from truly breaking through as the potential first-round pick he was thought to be out of high school. He\u2019ll certainly bring his A-game against the program he was once expected to call home.<\/p>\n

THE O\u2019DOME HAS BEEN GOOD TO THE CATS<\/p>\n

On paper, this is a scary matchup for Kentucky \u2014 and the reason the Wildcats enter this one as a double-digit underdog. Florida is rolling and will have a serious frontcourt advantage, along with the rowdy fans inside the O\u2019Connell Center helping the Gators in their push for No. 1 in the SEC.<\/p>\n

The good news for BBN? UK has won six straight in that building dating back to 2018, last taking down UF on the road in 2024. It was an 87-85 win in that one, led by Antonio Reeves with 19 and four others in double figures. Before that, Oscar Tshiebwe had 25 with Jacob Toppin (19) , Reeves (16) and Chris Livingston (10 and 15) chipping in to earn the 82-74. Other wins include a 71-63 final in 2022, 76-58 blowout in 2021, EJ Montgomery\u2019s tip-in for the 71-70 win in 2020 and a 65-54 rock fight in 2019. <\/p>\n

It\u2019ll be a hostile environment as an Orange Out\/t-shirt game, but Kentucky is used to all of that by now. We\u2019ll see if the streak continues. <\/p>\n

Join The Discussion on KSBoard<\/p>\n

Want to interact with the KSR crew during the game?\u00a0Consider joining the conversation on KSBoard<\/a>, where we\u2019ll be sharing live updates from Rupp Arena while also answering questions and providing real-time analysis (and probably complaining about the officiating).<\/p>\n

Rapid Reaction on the KSR YouTube Channel<\/p>\n

Miss the game? KSR\u2019s got you covered with a Rapid Reaction immediately after the game in Lexington, live on the\u00a0KSR YouTube Channel<\/a>. We\u2019ll also have wall-to-wall postgame coverage on the website, including highlights, comments from Mark Pope and the players, stats, and takeaways.<\/p>\n

Subscribe to the KSR YouTube Channel for press conferences, interviews, original shows, fan features, and exclusive content.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"It\u2019s the battle for No. 1 in the SEC as No. 25 Kentucky travels down to Gainesville to…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":155351,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[28,30,29,49482],"class_list":["post-155350","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-florida","tag-florida","tag-florida-headlines","tag-florida-news","tag-kentucky-basketball"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/155350","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=155350"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/155350\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/155351"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=155350"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=155350"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=155350"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}