As the saying goes, it\u2019s hard to beat a team three times in one season; however, it\u2019s also hard to win three games in three days, especially when the third is against Florida, the No. 1 seed in the SEC Tournament and the No. 4 team in the country. Kentucky will at least have the chance after beating LSU and Missouri to advance to a rematch with the Gators in the SEC Tournament Quarterfinals.<\/p>\n
Friday\u2019s game tips off at 1 p.m. ET, 12 p.m. CT. From now until then, recovery is Kentucky\u2019s primary focus.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur guys are pretty dialed in,\u201d Mark Pope said in his postgame press conference. \u201cThey\u2019ll be done with media in a few minutes here. We\u2019ll get back to the hotel, and we\u2019ll meet the same as we did yesterday. Meet and take our first shot at the whole scout as soon as we get back and eat. The guys will go through treatment. They\u2019ll spend hours, literally hours, going through treatment to get ready. Then we\u2019ll go to battle tomorrow at the same time.\u201d <\/p>\n
Recovery is especially important for a few Wildcats. Kam Williams<\/a> played 13 minutes in the win vs. Missouri, his second game back from foot surgery. He played 17 minutes in the win over LSU and was listed as a game-time decision on the SEC Availability Report this morning. Based on his comments in the locker room, Williams will do everything he can to play tomorrow after missing out on the first two games vs. Florida. <\/p>\n \u201cIt was a little bit [sore] this morning,\u201d Williams said of his foot. \u201cFresh off a game, first game back since it happened, so definitely credit to the staff for keeping me in the best shape I can be, icing it multiple times, like I did. We\u2019ve got a couple more for the rest of the day that I\u2019ll do, so I can be in the best shape for tomorrow. We\u2019ve got a great team tomorrow. Great players, great coach, great everything, so we\u2019ll do everything we can to get that win.\u201d<\/p>\n Williams had hoped to play in the regular-season finale for the Gators last weekend, but his foot was too sore after returning to practice a few days prior. He hopes being back on the floor will help open things up for Kentucky in round three.<\/p>\n \u201cI guess I can make them expand their defense a little more, open up lanes for Denzel [Aberdeen] and Otega [Oweh] to get through. I feel like just me being out there gives them different looks at so I can match up with their bigs as best as I can, because I know they were trying to play a little small ball before, but give them a little different look. On the offensive side, I feel like since I\u2019m looked at as a shooter, that it opened lanes for them too, to get downhill.\u201d<\/p>\n Williams will spend his night and morning icing, stretching, and doing resistance band exercises with his foot. For Mo Dioubate, only one thing matters: food. The junior forward is fasting for Ramadan<\/a>, which means no eating or drinking from sunup to sundown. You might think playing earlier in the day would be easier for Dioubate since it\u2019s closer to sunrise. He said it\u2019s the opposite.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s the morning game, so it makes it easier, but it\u2019s after the game that it\u2019s a little harder. You know, I\u2019ve gotta wait about four hours now to eat or drink anything, but I\u2019ll be all right.\u201d<\/p>\n When asked at the postgame press conference, Dioubate knew the exact time he can break his fast tonight: 6:51 p.m., when the sun sets in Nashville.<\/p>\n \u201cThe film study gets brutal now after the game,\u201d Pope added. \u201cHe\u2019s battling through it. It\u2019s awesome.\u201d<\/p>\n