No. 5 Florida Tops Kentucky 84-77 for 11th Straight Win

Gators close regular season with fourth-most wins in program history

Mar. 8, 2026 at 4:06pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The No. 5 Florida Gators defeated the Kentucky Wildcats 84-77 on Saturday, closing out the 2025-26 regular season with their 11th consecutive victory. Thomas Haugh led the Gators with a team-high 20 points and 9 rebounds, while all five starters scored in double figures. Florida opened the game on an 11-0 run and took a 49-32 lead into halftime, but Kentucky clawed back in the second half, outscoring the Gators by 10 over the final 20 minutes.

Why it matters

The win marks the Gators' seventh season sweep over Kentucky in series history, further solidifying Florida's status as one of the top teams in the SEC. With 25 wins, the Gators have the fourth-most in program history, underscoring their impressive regular season performance.

The details

Florida dominated the first half, shooting 64.3% from the field and building a 17-point halftime lead. The Gators owned a 24-4 advantage in fastbreak points and dished out 20 assists on 28 field goals. However, Kentucky made a strong second-half push, outscoring Florida 45-35 over the final 20 minutes. The Gators struggled shooting in the second half, connecting on just 10 of 33 field goal attempts.

  • Florida opened the game on an 11-0 run.
  • The Gators took a 49-32 lead into halftime.
  • Kentucky outscored Florida 45-35 in the second half.

The players

Thomas Haugh

A Florida player who scored a team-high 20 points and grabbed 9 rebounds.

Boogie Fland

A Florida player who hit a 3-pointer during the Gators' opening 11-0 run.

Xaivian Lee

A Florida player who hit a 3-pointer during the Gators' opening 11-0 run and dished out 5 assists.

Todd Golden

The head coach of the Florida Gators.

Kentucky Wildcats

The opponent that Florida defeated in this game.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Incredibly proud of my team. Obviously a tough place to play. Thought we did a great job getting off to a great start. The first half, we played about as well as you could hope coming into a place like this, and second half thought we were solid. Last 10 minutes, I don't think we handled the pressure very well.”

— Todd Golden, UF head coach

The takeaway

Florida's impressive regular season performance, capped by their seventh season sweep of Kentucky, has the Gators poised for a deep postseason run. The team's ability to withstand Kentucky's second-half surge demonstrates their resilience and poise, qualities that will serve them well in the upcoming tournament.