- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
Kentucky Wildcats Aim to Upset No. 14 Florida Gators
Three keys for the No. 25 Wildcats to take down the surging Gators on the road
Feb. 12, 2026 at 10:47am
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
The Kentucky Wildcats face a tough test against the No. 14 Florida Gators, who have won four straight games by an average of 27.3 points. The Wildcats will need to rely on their perimeter shooting, slow down star forward Thomas Haugh, and play elite defense in the paint to pull off the upset in Gainesville.
Why it matters
This is a crucial SEC matchup between two ranked teams with NCAA Tournament implications. Kentucky is looking to bounce back from a recent slump, while Florida is one of the hottest teams in the country and aiming to solidify its position as a top contender in the conference.
The details
For the Wildcats to beat the Gators, they'll need to knock down their three-point shots, as Florida's size advantage makes it difficult to score inside. Slowing down Thomas Haugh, the Gators' leading scorer, will also be a priority, as he can hurt opponents from all over the floor. Lastly, Kentucky's defense will need to contest shots in the paint and control the boards to limit Florida's opportunities for easy baskets down low.
- The game is scheduled for Saturday, February 14, 2026.
- Florida has won four straight games since a home loss to Auburn over two weeks ago.
The players
Thomas Haugh
The star forward for the Florida Gators, who can score from all over the floor and often has a size advantage over his defenders.
Malachi Moreno
The Kentucky Wildcats' center, who will be tasked with anchoring the defense in the paint against Florida's size.
What’s next
The winner of this game will take a big step towards securing a higher seed in the SEC Tournament and potentially the NCAA Tournament.
The takeaway
This matchup between the No. 25 Kentucky Wildcats and the No. 14 Florida Gators will come down to whether Kentucky can neutralize Florida's size advantage and limit the impact of star forward Thomas Haugh. If the Wildcats can execute their game plan, they have a chance to pull off the road upset and boost their postseason aspirations.
