Kentucky forward Nerlens Noel (3) tries to get around Florida center Patric Young (4) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Gainesville, Fla., Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013. Florida won 69-52. (AP Photo/Phil Sandlin)
MARK LONG AP Sports Writer
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) - Scottie Wilbekin had 14 points and eight assists, Pat Young recorded his sixth double-double of the season and No. 7 Florida handled No. 25 Kentucky 69-52 on Tuesday night.
The Gators (20-3, 10-1 Southeastern Conference) snapped a five-game losing streak in the series, and coach Billy Donovan improved to 2-7 against Kentucky’s John Calipari.
This one solidified Florida’s spot atop the league standings.
The Wildcats (17-7, 8-3) lost for the first time in six games, and it may have been costly.
Nerlens Noel, the nation’s leading shot-blocker, injured his left knee in the second half and did not return.
Noel, a freshman who averages 10.6 points, 9.6 rebounds and 4.5 blocks a game for the defending national champions, landed awkwardly on his leg with about 8 minutes to play. He screamed in pain as trainers rushed to his side. Teammates carried him to the locker room for tests.
Florida had a comfortable lead before the injury.
The Gators opened a double-digit lead, 31-19, in the first half on consecutive 3-pointers by Wilbekin, Mike Rosario and Kenny Boynton.
Young and fellow big man Erik Murphy, who was in early foul trouble, carried the load in the second half.
Young made a basket with a nifty, up-and-under move, had a reverse layup and added a sweet, left-handed hook. He finished with 12 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks.
The Gators knew he had to have a big game considering they played a second game without forward Will Yeguete and were undersized against the Wildcats.
But the difference was guard play.
Wilbekin sliced through the lane at will, creating open shots for teammates and getting Kentucky’s players out of position. Noel, Archie Goodwin and Willie Cauley-Stein spent time on the bench in foul trouble.
Rosario finished with 12 points for Florida, which has won every conference game by double digits. Murphy chipped in 10 points, and Casey Prather added 12 points and two blocks and took several charges, proving again to be a capable replacement for Yeguete.
Cauley-Stein and Julius Mays led Kentucky with 10 points apiece.
The Wildcats shot 42 percent from the field and had 17 turnovers.
Calipari warned reporters Monday that beating Florida would be a difficult task, especially since the Gators have played so well at home (12-0 now) and have a much more experienced roster.
The most significant disparities came in the paint and off turnovers. The Gators scored 36 points in the paint and 20 points off turnovers; the Wildcats had 26 points down low and just five off Florida’s 11 turnovers.
No. 7 FLORIDA 69, No. 25 KENTUCKY 52
KENTUCKY (17-7): Noel 3-5 2-4 8, Poythress 1-9 3-5 5, Goodwin 4-9 0-0 8, Harrow 0-3 0-0 0, Mays 4-7 0-0 10, Hood 0-1 0-0 0, Polson 1-2 1-2 4, Cauley-Stein 5-9 0-0 10, Wiltjer 3-5 0-0 7. Totals 21-50 6-11 52.
FLORIDA (20-3): Murphy 3-10 2-2 10, Young 5-7 2-3 12, Boynton 3-7 2-3 9, Rosario 4-11 2-2 12, Wilbekin 5-9 3-4 14, Kurtz 0-0 0-0 0, Ogbueze 0-0 0-0 0, Graham 0-0 0-0 0, Frazier II 0-1 0-0 0, Prather 6-8 0-0 12, Walker 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 26-53 11-14 69.
Halftime_Florida 38-25. 3-Point Goals_Kentucky 4-12 (Mays 2-5, Polson 1-2, Wiltjer 1-2, Goodwin 0-1, Poythress 0-1, Harrow 0-1), Florida 6-14 (Rosario 2-4, Murphy 2-5, Wilbekin 1-2, Boynton 1-3). Fouled Out_None. Rebounds_Kentucky 31 (Cauley-Stein, Noel 6), Florida 27 (Young 11). Assists_Kentucky 11 (Goodwin, Mays 3), Florida 17 (Wilbekin 8). Total Fouls_Kentucky 15, Florida 13. A_12,480.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.
9 Responses to No. 7 Florida handles No. 25 Kentucky 69-52; Nerlens Noel suffers knee injury
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A little home cooking I thought. However, Florida just outplayed the Cats. I pray Noel is not hurt to bad. I also thought UK should have jacked up more three’s down the stretch to try and get back in. Florida was very physical. UK looked timid. Our back court got whipped.
Home cooking was evident by 3 or 4 straight blocking/ charging calls. Really! Then for the starters to play scared and not (obviously) score enough spells defeat! First time in a long time I’ve seen the Cats play scared or timid. IMO. Oh well. Can’t win ‘em all.
To me, the key sequence was in the first half when we failed to get out on three point shooters 4 or 5 possessions in a row. That lack of attention to defense resulted in 4 made three-pointers in a row. The team looked young and timid the entire game. I hope and pray that Nerlens is not injured seriously.
I think they lost some of the confidence they had before this game. Hope they can get it back.
We had no backcourt presence tonight. This team just fell apart without Noel and that is the mental toughness Calipari has been preaching but these guys will take sometime to understand that. Wiltjer was a no show in the 2nd half and we got sliced by their guards. Plenty of work to do still.
This is one year I hope our point guard is drafted. Good to see Harrow gone. I don’t even want him as a back up. He’s just too soft. I hate when he comes in the game. I know Cal got hung out when Teague went pro. I’m sure the plan was for Teague to stay 2 years, with Harrow the back up this year. Who threw the ball away when Noel was trying to defend the fast break he got hurt on?
It was not home cooking that beat the Cats. Even when Noel was in the game, we got outplayed. Sorry, but it is time to admit the truth. This team is flawed.
No need to worry about Harrow, Goodwin, or Polson next year. The Harrison twins come. No, I don’t think that Calipari was hung out when Teague went pro. Calipari wants his studs to go pro. His mistake was not recruiting a guard over Harrow. Now, the question is will the draft projections hold after this bad year? If it does not some of this year’s studs will sit on the bench next year. Calipari cannot not afford to let next year’s recruits play behind any hold overs. He gets these great recruits because he sends them on as soon as possible. Even the possibility that some of this year’s freshmen may hang around next year could discourage recruits who are considering now.
Got back from the Game at 2:30 am….over the last 38 years of loving and living Ky Blue, this was the most heart breaking Game I’ve ever seen, ( in person or on TV ). My Prayers and thoughts are with Nerlens and his Family right now…Nothing about the Game is that important to me right now. I could touch Our Team from my seat and to say this was an emotional event, would be an understatement. I Love This Team and I’m glad I was there to Support Them.