GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Xaivian Lee scored 22 points, Urban Klavzar added 19 and No. 14 Florida beat No. 25 Kentucky 92-83 on Saturday for its 10th win in its last 11 games.
Lee and Klavzar took advantage of Florida’s interior strength and hit a combined nine 3-pointers.
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Thomas Haugh (17 points), Alex Condon (14 points) and Rueben Chinyelu (10 points) also scored in double figures for the Gators, which ended a six-game homestand against the Wildcats.
Florida State (19-6, 10-2 Southeastern Conference) went 1-4 under coach Todd Golden and defeated Kentucky (17-8, 8-4). But the Gators led across the board in this game and finished with a 45-37 rebounding advantage. Condon and Chinyere each had 11 rebounds, both finishing with double-doubles.
This game has a unique subplot. Kentucky guard Denzel Aberdeen, who spent the past three years at Florida and helped the Gators win the national championship last March, was greeted with boos in his return.
Aberdeen led the Wildcats by 19 points but were jeered by the “Gator Renegades” throughout. Collin Chandler added 18 points and Otega Oweh added 13 points.
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Florida jumped out to a double-digit lead early on, but it wasn’t until the second half that Condon’s inside shooting and Klavzal’s outside shooting put Kentucky away, who shot 5-for-11 from beyond the arc.
The Gators had several former players attending the sold-out game, including NBA rookies Walter Clayton and Will Richard. Clayton, last year’s Final Four MVP, and Richard received a standing ovation when they walked to their courtside seats and were recognized during the first half. Matt Walsh (2002-05) and Matt Bonner (1999-2003) also went to Gainesville.
Next
Kentucky: Host Georgia on Tuesday.
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Florida: Host South Carolina on Tuesday.
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