John Clay's Sidelines

(Photo by John Clay)

Big Blue Links for Wednesday:

Jerry Tipton of the Herald-Leader has game story from Gainesville on UK’s 89-77 win over Gators: “When Patterson missed the free throw, DeMarcus Cousins grabbed the rebound. With the bonus possession, Kentucky got Darnell Dodson’s second three-pointer of the game. He had gone 0-for-7 from beyond the arc in the past two games. After Florida made one of two free throws, Bledsoe swished his third three-pointer (he had made only two of 11 in his past three games).”

My column from Gainesville saying that UK’s drama gives way to determination: “The Cats beat the Gators 89-77 in the O-Dome on Tuesday night in what could be described as a loud, ragged, fun, uneven basketball game, in which the visitors appeared to be in control, up 15, not quite midway through the second half. Only it turned into just what UK Coach John Calipari lamented about on Monday, that one of these days his young guys were going to mess around with a lead and get caught from behind.”

(H-L photo/David Perry)

Kevin Brockway of the Gainesville Sun reports that Florida’s rally failed: “The smallest guy on the floor nearly shot Florida back to an upset against No. 2 Kentucky. But for as many 3-pointers as sophomore 5-foot-8 point guard Erving Walker hit in the second half, Kentucky had answers at the other end of the floor. And Florida ran out of gas late in an 89-77 loss to the Wildcats before a sellout crowd of 12,618 at the O’Connell Center.”

Brett Dawson of the Courier-Journal on Kentucky’s conference road win: “For much of Tuesday night’s game, it didn’t appear that the Cats would need Patterson and Dodson’s heroics against Florida (11-5, 0-2). After a sluggish start, UK rallied to take a 38-31 halftime lead, and with freshman Eric Bledsoe scoring almost at will, the Cats roared ahead in the second half.”

Matt May of the Cats Pause reports from Gainesville on the UK triumph: “The Cats (17-0, 2-0 SEC) calmly dropped a 14-1 hammer on Florida when the Gators tied the game in the closing minutes, escaping an obscenely loud O’Connell Center crowd of 12,618 with an 89-77 victory. The Cats’ first win in Gainesville since 2004 was yet another testament to what UK coach John Calipari calls his team’s will to win, as the Cats blew a 15-point second half lead then steadied themselves to hold the Gators to a single point over four critical minutes.”

Give it up to our friends from the Kentucky Kernel, including Metz Camfield, who made the long drive to Gainesville: “The Cats finally found their offensive stroke midway through the first half after a stern talking to from UK head coach John Calipari. The Cats took a 15-13 lead before Florida went on a quick six-point run to prompt a Calipari timeout. Out of the break, the Cats went to their two freshman guards, Bledsoe and John Wall. The tandem scored four straight baskets to give the Cats a four-point advantage and force Florida to call timeout.”

(H-L photo/David Perry)

James Pennington of the Kernel writes from Gainesville on Eric Bledsoe: “For a while, it looked like UK wanted to get out of Gainesville on Tuesday faster than Lane Kiffin got out of Knoxville, Tenn. After a 15-point UK lead turned into a tie game in the second half, UK looked ready to tuck its tail and run. Then, as Eric Bledsoe said, they got an extra boost.”

David Jones of Florida Today on the Gators’ loss to the Cats: “Kentucky’s last win in Gainesville was Feb. 3, 2004 — a streak of five straight defeats. Florida, 11-5 overall and 0-2 to open SEC play for the first time since the 1995-96 season, stayed with Kentucky (17-0) for most of the contest. The Wildcats, one of two remaining undefeated teams in Division I basketball and off to their best start since opening the 1966 season at 23-0, made just four of their first 16 shots from the floor.”

Mike Dirocco of the Florida Times-Union writes that Cats pulled past the Gators: “The loss snapped UF’s five-game home winning streak against Kentucky and dropped the Gators (11-5 overall) to 0-2 in Southeastern Conference play for the first time in Donovan’s 14-year tenure in Gainesville. The last time that happened was during the 1995-96 season under Lon Kruger. Donovan was hired after that season.”