Behind big nights from Casey Prather and Scottie Wilbekin, Florida left Lexington, Ky., with its first win in Rupp Arena since 2007.
Making 9 of 11 free throws during the final 5:05 of regulation, the No. 3 Gators (23-2, 12-0 Southeastern Conference) knocked off No. 14 Kentucky (19-6, 9-3 SEC) 69-59 on Saturday night.
The duo of Prather and Wilbekin recorded a combined 47 points on 13-of-19 shooting. Prather added four rebounds and four steals, while Wilbekin sunk 2 of his 3 three-point attempts.
Florida was cold from the field in the first half, shooting 10 of 30, with a dismal 1-of-9 mark from beyond the arc, as it trailed UK 31-28 at halftime. But after trailing the Wildcats by five points midway through the second period, the Gators went on an 11-3 run to take a 51-48 lead with 7:22 left.
Then, Prather and Wilbekin helped sealed the win at the charity stripe after sophomore guard Michael Frazier II knocked down a three from the right wing with 4:14 left to help UF take a 60-55 advantage.
Prather put the game out of reach after getting fouled on a layup attempt in transition late in the game. The senior forward sunk his free throw to make it 69-59 with 36 seconds left.
The Wildcats shot 47.6 percent from the field but struggled to make free throws, hitting only 14 of 23.
The Gators are on a 17-game winning streak and will next play in the O’Connell Center against Auburn on Wednesday night.
Follow Landon Watnick on Twitter @LandonWatnick
Florida forward Casey Prather (24) drives past Auburn forward Alex Thompson during the No. 7 Gators' 68-61 win against the Tigers on Saturday in Auburn Arena.
