Florida basketball finished the non-conference schedule with a 10-3 record, including a pair of Quadrant 1 and 2 wins against Pitt and Richmond.
But now it is time for conference play to begin, and Florida will regularly face other SEC teams with the NCAA Tournament in their sights. So far, Todd Golden’s group has looked every bit the part of a Tournament team, but this is where an at-large bid can be locked up.
Make no mistake, starting off 2024 with an upset win over No. 6 Kentucky would provide a massive confidence boost to Florida’s roster.
It won’t be easy, though. The Wildcats are ranked in the top 10 for a reason, and John Calipari has assembled an incredibly talented (yet young) team.
Here is everything you need to know before the game on Saturday.
| Player | Pos | H/W | Class | Min. | Pts. | Reb. |
| Walter Clayton Jr. | G | 6-2/195 | Junior | 29.3 | 15.2 | 3.8 |
| Zyon Pullin | G | 6-4 /206 | Sophomore | 29.1 | 14.1 | 3.5 |
| Will Richard | G | 6-4 /206 | Junior | 29.8 | 11.8 | 3.8 |
| Tyrese Samuel | F | 6-10/239 | Graduate | 27.5 | 14.3 | 8.8 |
| Micah Handlogten | C | 7-1/235 | Sophomore | 17.8 | 6.8 | 7.1 |
Note: The expectation is for Riley Kugel to rejoin the starting lineup on Saturday against Kentucky, likely in place of Pullin who is still listed in the game notes as a starter. Todd Golden works the rotation well to get all four guys adequate time on the court.
| Player | Pos | H/W | Class | Min. | Pts. | Reb. |
| D.J. Wagner | G | 6-4/192 | Freshman | 26.8 | 11.9 | 2.1 |
| Antonio Reeves | G | 6-6/195 | 5th-Year Senior | 30.5 | 19.0 | 4.3 |
| Justin Edwards | G | 6-8/203 | Freshman | 24.5 | 9.8 | 4.6 |
| Tre Mitchell | F | 6-9/231 | Graduate | 33.6 | 12.8 | 7.1 |
| Aaron Bradshaw | F | 7-1/226 | Freshman | 19.5 | 11.9 | 2.1 |
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Riley Kugel didn’t play his best against the non-conference schedule, but facing some serious competition could bring out the best in him to start 2024. Kugel’s shot was off through the first two months of the season, but he never stopped heaving it up from three-point range.
For Florida to pull off the upset, they need their future pro to start scoring more. Kugel’s defense and playmaking ability has notably improved, but scouts won’t be happy if that comes with him scoring less often and less reliably. A 20-point night against Kentucky would erase most of the doubt built up over the past few months.
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