Sports: No.3 UF has plenty to play for

College basketball

No.3 UF has plenty to play for

Florida expects a different atmosphere as it seeks revenge against Kentucky.

By ANTONYA ENGLISH, Times Staff Writer

It has been 39 days since it happened, but freshman guard Anthony Roberson still can see the blue jerseys jumping up and down in the center of Rupp Arena as Kentucky celebrated a win that humiliated his Gators basketball team.

The scoreboard said Kentucky 70, Florida 55. In reality it wasn't that close.

Today, the No.2 Wildcats will face the third-ranked Gators in a sold-out O'Connell Center in Gainesville. Kentucky has sealed the SEC East championship, but there is a lot on the line for Florida in today's rematch.

"We feel like we're playing for more than an SEC championship -- we're playing for respect," Roberson said. "Think about how they embarrassed us on national TV. It's going to be a whole different atmosphere, whole different game, a whole different attitude. Whatever the score is, we're going to play to the end. I promise you that. It'll be a different game."

Florida went into Rupp ranked No.1 on Feb.4, but Kentucky made sure that first-ever accomplishment was short-lived. Kentucky led by 23 at halftime after making the Gators look incompetent.

No.1 when they woke up in the morning, humiliated and laughed at by the time they went to bed, as coach Billy Donovan described it.

So Donovan knows better than anyone the key to redeeming themselves and earning a victory against Kentucky, and he summed it up succinctly.

"In order for us to have a chance to win, we'll have to play our best game of the year," he said.

Kentucky is 25-3 and seeking to become the second team to finish 16-0 in the conference. Kentucky also went 16-0 in 1995-96. Coach Tubby Smith said finishing undefeated would be a remarkable accomplishment.

"It hasn't been done that often," Smith said. "Certainly it'll be something this team will be identified with for years to come, and they would appreciate it. It's something very few people have accomplished. I think our players understand and have an appreciation of history and what it would mean."

It would mean that a team that was mired in turmoil last season has turned itself around. Kentucky has won 19 straight games, the longest active streak in the nation. The Wildcats are coming off a 106-44 win over Vanderbilt, and the Gators will try to rebound from a one-point road loss to Georgia.

Somehow you get the feeling none of that matters. It's all about Feb.4.

"You don't forget something like that," said guard Justin Hamilton, who will be playing his final home game. "We want to give ourselves a chance to win the ballgame. We'll be ready to go. There's a lot on the line for us."

On paper, it should be a classic matchup. Kentucky is second in the league in scoring offense at 78.2, and Florida is third at 76.7. Both hold opponents to an average of 64.5 points, and they are second and third, respectively, in field-goal percentage.

With the conference title already secured, Kentucky is vying for a No.1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Florida is trying to secure at least a No.2 spot.

"If we beat Kentucky and go to the finals (of the SEC Tournament), we'd be assured of a No.1 seed," Donovan said. "We've got a big game. If we win, it takes care of itself."

Florida may have to play without senior forward Matt Bonner, who has plantar fascitis in his right foot. He is listed as questionable.

"The game is going to be played with or without Matt," Donovan said. "We've got a lot of other guys that have worked hard, and hopefully some guys will step up for us."

In the last meeting, Kentucky's defense smothered the Gators and forced ill-advised shots, when they got a shot off at all. Donovan said what makes the Wildcats so tough is more than just their defense.

"They can beat you with their offense, they can beat you with defense, they can beat you in transition, they can beat you by pounding the ball inside," Donovan said. "There's not one thing you have to do, there's five or six things you have to do to put yourself in a position to win."

Smith also expects a bigger challenge from the Gators.

"Going into Gainesville is always a tough place to play," he said. "It's going to be senior night for them. It'll be a great college basketball atmosphere."