College basketball

Gators end misery by beating Wildcats

FLORIDA 53, NO.3 KENTUCKY 52: After eight tries, the Gators edge the Wildcats on two late free throws.

By ANTONYA ENGLISH
Published March 7, 2005

GAINESVILLE - Florida and SEC officials won't allow basketball fans to rush the floor after a game. So when the Gators earned their biggest win of the season Sunday afternoon, the players took the celebration to the stands.

Immediately after Florida's 53-52 upset of No.3 Kentucky, David Lee stripped off his shirt and leaped onto press row - joined by teammates Corey Brewer and Matt Walsh - high-fiving a portion of the O'Connell Center record 12,602 fans.

The scene began after Kelenna Azubuike's 3-pointer fell short with one second left and was rebounded by Walsh, who quickly threw it into the stands. The victory snapped an eight-game losing streak against Kentucky and was the Gators' first over it since March4, 2001. The last time Florida beat a team ranked as high was Nov.28, 2003, 78-77 against No.3 Arizona.

Playing in his final home game, Lee, Florida's only senior, said his emotional outburst was "four years in the making."

"I think the fact that I haven't beaten them until now makes it that much sweeter," said Lee, who finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds, his ninth double double in the past 13 games and 21st of his career. "It's a great tribute to our basketball team."

Florida (20-7, 12-4) trailed 52-48 with 1:09 left after Kentucky's Patrick Sparks hit a 3-pointer. On Florida's next possession, freshman Al Horford rebounded a missed shot and passed it out to Walsh, who hit a 24-footer to make it 52-51 with 48 seconds left.

"I was dying to get another one back because I had missed a wide open one the stretch before," said Walsh, who was just 4-of-11 but scored six in the final 1:29. "When Al got that rebound, I was like I'm shooting because I'm due to make one."

On Kentucky's next possession, Sparks drove the lane but was stripped by junior guard Anthony Roberson, who was quickly fouled by Sparks. Roberson, the SEC's leading free-throw shooter, hit two with 15 seconds left to give Florida the lead.

"Those two free throws were clutch," Roberson said.

Kentucky's final possession came down to Azubuike (who was guarded by Brewer, a freshman), but his shot wasn't by design. The Wildcats (23-4, 14-2) were supposed to set up a screen for senior forward Chuck Hayes to post up.

"We had a play set up, but we didn't execute like we should have," Kentucky coach Tubby Smith said.

Florida coach Billy Donovan described the game as a "slugfest." It was a season-low output (52 points) for Kentucky. It was held scoreless for the first five minutes of the game, shot 42 percent from the field (38.5 from 3-point range) and committed 17 turnovers. The Gators shot 39.6 percent (33.3 percent from beyond the arc) and committed 16 turnovers. Roberson led all scorers with 21 and Walsh added 11. Hayes scored 11, the only Wildcat in double figures.

"I'm proud of our kids," Donovan said. "What the game really came down to was the little things, hustle plays, and we happened to end up on the positive side. But it's one game."

[Last modified March 7, 2005, 01:58:12]