Three takeaways from Florida basketball first loss of season

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Jan 4, 2025; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Florida Gators guard Walter Clayton Jr. (1) handles the ball during the first half against the Kentucky Wildcats at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

January means conference play in college basketball, and the first SEC game of the 2024-25 season was a 106-100 loss for the Florida Gators against the Kentucky Wildcats.

For the Gators, it marks the first loss of the season and likely means a dip in the upcoming poll updates. For the Wildcats, it’s a Quadrant 1 win at home that isn’t likely to re-categorize as the SEC schedule progresses. Both teams can praise the work done on offense, combining for 206 points, but each has some defensive kinks to work on before the next conference game.

Walter Clayton Jr. led all scorers with 33 points on 9 of 15 (60%) shooting, including 6 of 12 (50%) from three-point range, followed by Alijah Martin on 9 of 17 (52.9%) shooting. However, eight combined misses from the backcourt duo were the difference in this matchup.

Forward Alex Condon was one point off from a double-double. Rueben Chinyelu was also in range with 10 points and eight rebounds, including five on offense. Florida won the overall rebound battle, 38-30, and nearly doubled Kentucky’s offensive rebounds, 15-9.

First-half breakdown in the wrong building

Florida led for the game’s first nine minutes, building an 11-point lead early. Kentucky answered with a 16-0 run and never looked back. The Gators tied it up with two minutes to the half but never led again.

Rupp Arena is not the venue players want to play from behind in. Known as one of the most hostile arenas in sports, Rupp makes climbing a mountain feel like climbing the seventh circle of Dante’s Inferno.

Clayton’s 33 didn’t phase the Wildcats’ faithful, and the team responded every time the Gators made it close. Andrew Carr’s dagger three from the corner put the foul game into effect with 90 seconds to go and Kentucky came up big where Florida could…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/three-takeaways-florida-basketball-first-193549441.html

Author : Gators Wire

Publish date : 2025-01-04 19:35:00

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