Florida Gators Fail to Contain Oscar Tshiebwe; Lose to Kentucky at Home 71-63

On an emotional senior day in Gainesville, with the Gators paying tribute to senior small forward Keyontae Johnson, Florida fell short of their 20th victory of the season.

The determinant to success was the lack of answers presented to slow Oscar Tshiebwe.

When the Florida Gators came out of the halftime locker room trailing by 12, everyone knew a considerable run would be necessary to cut Kentucky's sizable lead. At multiple points, Florida flashed signs of an impending rally. Those apurts of momentum that are evident indicators at the collegiate level.

However, looking to keep UF at an arm's length and preserve the win, the Wildcats consistently looked down low to one of the most – if not the most – dominant big men the nation has to offer in Tshiebwe.

The center found a way to silence the crowd and keep the UK lead intact each time. His performance, which included 27 points, 15 rebounds and two blocks, proved to be too much for Florida.

As a result, the Florida Gators dropped their 12th game of the year, 71-63, to finish the 2021-22 regular season 19-12 (9-9 SEC).

In the first half, Florida failed to find significant scoring production from the guards, forcing Colin Castleton and Anthony Duruji to carry the load with 18 of 26 first-half points. Not much changed in the second half.

That is evident by lackluster 3-for-20 mark shooting beyond the arc on the day.

Castleton led the way for the Gators with 23 points and 10 rebounds to record his ninth double-double of the season. His presence offensively played a large role in Florida's ability to stay within striking distance in the second half, as it has for the squad all year.

He helped the game hover around the 10-point mark, albeit in favor of John Calipari's squad, for most of the second half.

However, trying to find an answer for Tshiebwe, Florida fell subject to Sahvir Wheeler – one of the nation's premier floor generals in college basketball – and his elite ability to attack the rim. He finished with 13 points on 60% from the field and four assists en route to the Wildcats' win.

Following a promising start to the season at 6-0 in November, the Gators – sporting a roster patched with veterans via the transfer portal – regressed to the mean to align as a middle-of-the-pack squad in the Southeastern Conference.

The Gators are slated to travel to Tampa Bay for the SEC Tournament from Mar. 9-13. Florida's loss today means that it will likely need to advance deep in the conference tournament to keep its chances alive for earning a bid to The Big Dance.

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