Kentucky Wildcats can’t close Florida Gators out even with Rupp Arena momentum

Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

Coffee is for closers and in the end, the Kentucky Wildcats came up a quarter cup short in a 69-59 loss to the Florida Gators at Rupp Arena. The win virtually locks up the SEC title for the Florida Gators and puts them in position for a #1 seed in the NCAA tournament. Kentucky still has the tag of not being able to beat an elite team and seems destined to see a #4 seed as their best possible situation in the tourney.

For twenty-nine minutes, Kentucky played with a passion and hustle. The freshman Wildcats were beating the senior laden Gators at their own game. Julius Randle missed a layup and Andrew Harrison hustled his way to a tip in and a 45-38 Kentucky lead. The Gators were on the ropes and the Wildcats wilted down the stretch.

Florida outscored the Wildcats 31-14 in the final 10:39 of the game and they did it with hustle as the Wildcats appeared to be stuck in quicksand for much of the remaining game.

We don’t say it that much, but in the end, you have to place this loss firmly on John Calipari’s shoulders. After thirty minutes of war, his players were exhausted and yet Calipari kept most of the same players on the court the rest of the game rather than go to the bench. Kentucky got a grand total of two points from his bench for the game and the Gators definitely had more energy.

Perhaps the most telling highlight of the game was when Casey Prather went up and grabbed an offensive rebound while four Wildcat players starred on flat-footed.

The most analyzed series on America’s most analyzed team came courtesy of Calipari himself. With UK clinging to a 48-47 lead, Calipari was called for a technical foul. It resulted in a four point Gator swing and Kentucky would never lead again. The Cats did not totally give up, and managed to ties the game at 53 on an Aaron Harrison three pointer with 6:04 remaining.

Kentucky had done a great job of bottling up Michael Frazier all night, but he got his only points on a three pointer with 4:14 remaining that made the score 60-55 and that deflated the Wildcats like a balloon. And the rest was history. And if you were keeping score, Florida outscored Kentucky 22-11 after that Calipari technical.

You can say that Billy Donovans four-year plan ruled over the Kentucky way tonight. Casey Prather and Scotty Wilbekin, two players who barely dented the scoreboard their first two years in Gainesville torched Kentucky for 24 and 23 points. Meanwhile this week it was reported that Aaron Harrison may decide to test the NBA waters after all this year. He responded with a 1-7 shooting night and 3 points and 1 rebound in 35 minutes.

And despite that, Kentucky was tied with 6:04 left and the Rupp crowd giving perhaps their best performance of the Calipari era. And Kentucky could not close it out. Blame youth. Blame inexperience. Blame this loss on all the things that have been plaguing Kentucky on all year. But in the end, Florida just wanted it more. Wilbiekin closed out the game like a beast while Kentucky’s players stood around and watched what true senior leadership looks like.

The game is a redemption of sorts for Billy Donovan. Donovan now has a 4-14 record at Rupp, but that is not the interesting thing. Every year that Billy Donovan has won at Rupp, either UK or UF have won a national title. Kentucky won in 1998 and UF in 2006 and 2007. And that is looking like a good omen for the Gators.