Cats' new 22 shines on night when Kentucky honors Pratt
Kentucky's Cason Wallace drove past Florida guard Trey Bonham during Saturday's game at Rupp Arena. (Jeff Drummond/Cats Illustrated)
Jeff Drummond • CatsIllustrated
Managing Editor Edit
@JDrumUK
LEXINGTON, Ky. -- On a night when Kentucky raised former All-American Mike Pratt's jersey No. 22 into the star-studded rafters at Rupp Arena, it was the Wildcats' current No. 22 who fittingly helped UK hold off an upset-minded Florida squad.
Freshman guard Cason Wallace scored 12 of his team-high 20 points down the stretch in leading Kentucky to a hard-fought 72-67 win over the Gators.
It marked the sixth win in the last seven games for Kentucky (16-7, 7-3 SEC).
Florida (13-10, 6-4 SEC) trailed by as many as 14 points, including 59-45 with just over eight minutes remaining, but managed to trim the Cats' lead to three with 38 seconds remaining.
But Wallace hit a pair of free throws with 13 seconds to go as Kentucky picked up a key SEC victory over a team that was coming off a 67-54 win over No. 2 Tennessee.
"Here's the great thing," UK head coach John Calipari said. "Mike Pratt, number raised. How many points did (Florida) have at halftime? Twenty-two, Mike's number. Who made the last points of the game? No. 22. You don't think Mike was up there tippin' balls away? Think about that."
Pratt, who passed away on June 16, 2022, after a battle with cancer, was a three-year starter for Adolph Rupp and an All-American in 1970. He averaged 16.8 points and 8.9 rebounds per game at UK and finished his career with 1,359 points before moving on to a pro career in the ABA and later serving as a member of the UK broadcast crew.
Kentucky also got 17 points and 10 rebounds from senior forward Jacob Toppin and 12 points from senior guard CJ Fredrick. The Cats won on a night when their two leading scorers on the season -- Oscar Tshiebwe and Antonio Reeves at almost 30 points per game -- scored a combined eight points on 4-for-19 shooting from the field.
“It just depends on who’s having their night," Wallace said. "Everyone is a great player and is capable of scoring the basketball, so it just depends on whose night it is.”
Added Calipari: "Like I said, this team is coming together, and I told them they would break through, just stay the course. And they're breaking through."
The Cats shot 45% as a team, made 11 of 13 free throws and five of 11 3-pointers against a Florida defense that ranks among the national Top 10. UK finished with just nine turnovers, four under the average forced by the Gators.
"This was a heckuva win for us," Calipari said.
The Gators were led by senior center Colin Castleton with a game-high 25 points and eight rebounds. Guards Kyle Lofton and Will Richard each added 13 points for Florida.
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In this "Rapid Recap" feature, we touch on some quick-hitters from the UK game...
KEY MOMENT:
Cason Wallace, Kentucky -- After missing the Cats' previous game at Ole Miss with a bruised knee, the freshman guard looked to be back at full health against the Gators. He was 7-of-10 from the field and 5-of-5 at the free-throw line. It was Wallace's first 20-point performance since recording 27 on Dec. 21 against Florida A&M.
GAME BALL:
Cason Wallace, Kentucky -- After missing the Cats' previous game at Ole Miss with a bruised knee, the freshman guard looked to be back at full health against the Gators. He was 7-of-10 from the field and 5-of-5 at the free-throw line.
BY THE NUMBERS:
14-0 - The Cats' edge in fast-break points.
26.9% - The Gators' field-goal percentage in the first half, making just seven of 26 attempts.
38-30 - The Cats' rebounding advantage, with Oscar Tshiebwe pulling down a game-high 15.
45th - Retired jersey (Mike Pratt, No. 22) to be raised in the rafters at Rupp Arena.
108-41 - Kentucky's lead in the all-time series against Florida, including a 55-11 mark in Lexington.
QUOTABLE:
"Obviously, that's kind of the narrative, I guess you would say, with Oscar (Tshiebwe). But I think they've improved that way, though. They do a good job of covering each other up... It's clear that that's been a priority for them as the season has gone along because they're a lot better now than they were a month ago." -- Florida coach Todd Golden on UK's defensive improvement against pick-and-roll sets.
UP NEXT:
Kentucky returns to action Tuesday night at Rupp Arena against Arkansas. The Razorbacks (16-7, 5-5 SEC) survived a scare at South Carolina on Saturday, 65-63. Tipoff for the Cats and Hogs will be at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN.
