Florida Extends Win Streak to 11
No. 5 Florida defeated Kentucky 84-77 to finish their regular season with an 11-game win streak. The Gators' consistent performance positions them as a formidable force heading into the postseason, showing they can close out tight contests against strong opponents.
This victory secured Florida's first regular-season sweep of the Wildcats since 2018. The Gators never trailed Kentucky in the 80 total minutes of play between their two matchups this season. Forward Thomas Haugh, after missing the first game of his career, led the charge with 20 points and nine rebounds. Point guard Boogie Fland contributed 16 points and six assists, while center Rueben Chinyelu added 13 points and eight rebounds. The win capped off a dominant conference season for the Gators, who finished with a 16-2 SEC record. This marks one of the best conference performances in the program's history, second only to the 2014 team that finished with an undefeated 18-0 SEC record. Finishing the season with a 25-6 overall record, the Gators have already clinched the SEC regular-season title and the No. 1 seed in the upcoming conference tournament. This performance, coupled with losses by other top teams, puts Florida in a strong position to secure a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Gators' late-season surge has been overpowering. During a recent nine-game stretch of the winning streak, their average margin of victory was 22 points. The team has now won 16 of its last 17 games heading into postseason play. Center Rueben Chinyelu is on the verge of a school record. With his 13 points and 8 rebounds against Kentucky, he finished the regular season just shy of breaking the program's single-season record for double-doubles.
