Three reasons a win over Florida is imperative for the Kentucky Wildcats
This season has seemingly flown by, but on Saturday, the Kentucky Wildcats will host the Florida Gators for the final game of the regular season. It will be senior night for Kentucky as Big Blue Nation will celebrate Otega Oweh , Denzel Aberdeen, Walker Horn, and Zach Tow.
Senior night and a rowdy Saturday evening Rupp Arena crowd should give the Wildcats an advantage on Saturday. Let’s take a look at three reasons why winning this game would be massive for the Kentucky Wildcats.
Three reasons a win over Florida is imperative for the Kentucky Wildcats
Would give Kentucky momentum heading into postseason play
The first and most obvious reason why a win over the Gators would be huge for Kentucky is momentum. If Kentucky loses this game, folks will say, “Well, Kentucky is limping into the postseason with two straight losses.” If the Wildcats win this game, the narrative will be Kentucky is coming into the postseason with a massive Quad 1 win over the hottest team in college basketball. This momentum will help the Wildcats try and go on a run in Nashville.
Would boost NCAA and SEC Tournament seeding
If Kentucky losses this game, they will be playing their first game on Wednesday in the SEC Tournament unless a miracle happens and it could drop them down to the seven-seed line in the NCAA Tournament. If the Wildcats take down the Gators, they have a real shot get the double bye in Nashville (with losses from Tennessee and Missouri) and it could boost Kentucky up when it comes to NCAA Tournament seeding. A Quad 1 game on your home floor is something teams and coaches love and that will be the opportunity Mark Pope’s team has in Rupp Arena on Saturday.
Would give Kentucky 20 regular season wins
For it to be looked at as a good season, a team needs to win 20 regular-season games, and if the Wildcats are able to take down the Gators on Saturday, they will accomplish that feat. In Pope’s first season, he won 20+ games and took the Wildcats to the Sweet 16. He would love to be able to say that he won 20+ games and made it out of the first weekend in the NCAA Tournament in both of his first two seasons. There is so much on the line for this team on Saturday, and Kentucky proved the first time these two teams met, they can beat the defending National Champs. Kentucky needs to play its best game of the season tomorrow in Rupp Arena.
