Florida picked up a rare win at Rupp Arena in thrilling fashion. The Gators needed overtime to knock off No. 10 Kentucky 94-91 on Wednesday night in Lexington.

In a reversal of their earlier meeting in Gainesville, the Gators did not lead for long but managed to lead at the final buzzer. There were 15 ties and 29 lead changes in the game, as UF was on top for just 8:32 of game time.

UK led for 28:37, but made just 1 of its last 7 field-goal attempts. The Cats had an 87-86 lead with 2:49 to go before the Gators went up 89-87 with 1:42 remaining in OT. John Calipari’s team fought to the end, but a 94-87 with 16 seconds to go was too much to overcome.

Florida had 3 players score 20-plus points. Walter Clayton Jr. led the Gators with 23 points on 7-of-13 shooting from 3-point range and a pair of free throws. Tyrese Samuel posted a double-double of 22 points (9-of-21 field goals, 4-of-5 free throws). Zyon Pullin got in on the fun with 21 points, going 6-of-14 from the field and 8-of-9 at the line.

The Gators were spoilers. Kentucky’s Reed Sheppard was the game’s top scorer with 24 points on 10-of-18 shooting. Ugonna Onyenso was looking like the game’s MVP in his first start, recording 13 points and 16 rebounds.

Here are 3 quick takeaways from Florida’s statement win:

Achievement unlocked: Quad 1 win

Florida entered the game with a 14-6 record, including wins over Florida State, Michigan, Pitt, Arkansas and Mississippi State, but Todd Golden’s team lacked a Quad 1 win for its NCAA Tournament resume.

Few would have expected the first Quad 1 victory to come against a top-10 Kentucky in Rupp Arena, but the Gators showed that the improvement they’ve shown in flashes is for real. Already No. 41 in NET rankings, Florida’s bracketology starts to look a lot better with the Quad 1 monkey off its back before the calendar turns to February.

Gators never gave up

It isn’t hard to let a road game against a good team slip away. It could have happened to UF numerous times on Wednesday night in Lexington.

Kentucky had a 10-point lead 39-29 with 2:16 to go. Finish the half poorly and the game is likely out of hand for Florida. Instead, the Gators scored 5 points in the final minute, making it 41-36 game at the half.

In the second half, Kentucky took a 79-77 lead with 2:56 to go. The Cats held onto the lead – until the last 5 seconds. Walton Clayton Jr. wanted to keep playing. His 3-pointer to send the game to overtime is the biggest shot of the Gators’ season.

Will it prove to be a turning point?

Winning at Rupp Arena calls for a locker-room celebration. And it will be a deservedly happy flight home to Gainesville.

The Gators, though, can’t enjoy the big win for too long. The tests keep coming, with Texas A&M and Auburn next up on the schedule, along with trips to Georgia and Alabama before March.

Golden’s squad is in the middle of an important stretch of games. Pick up a couple more wins, and the Big Dance projections will follow. Go on a losing skid, though, and Wednesday night’s game could easily get written off as a fluke win.

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