Can Florida basketball upset No. 5 Kentucky on the road?

Florida basketball is enjoying a four-game winning streak against conference opponents, but a road game against No. 5 Kentucky Saturday could end the Gators’ second-best run of the year.

The Wildcats are on a five-game winning streak of their own and have the second-best record in the Southeastern Conference. Florida hasn’t fared well against ranked opponents, losing to Alabama, Auburn, LSU and Tennessee in January, and recent success has come against the bottom three teams in the SEC.

Kentucky has yet to lose a game at home this season, making Florida an even bigger and underdog in the first matchup of the year. A rematch in Gainesville will take place on March 5 before the SEC Tournament begins four days later.

The good news for Florida is that Colin Castleton has returned following a six-game absence and that the team has seemingly found its shot — Myreon Jones hit a career-high seven three-pointers on Wednesday. Kowacie Reeves has also shown a lot of growth in his freshman year.

The Gators have the tools to upset Kentucky, but they might lack the discipline to get it done. It wouldn’t be the first time that an opposing crowd affected this team, and Rupp Arena can be one of the more intimidating venues in college basketball. Florida’s only been successful 11 times in 64 attempts at Lexington.

The key will be stopping 2022 Player of the Year Candidate Oscar Tshiebwe and dynamic guard TyTy Washington Jr. The two average a combined 29 points per game and Tshiebwe brings in over 15 rebounds per game. It’s safe to say Castleton will have his hands full in the post in this one, and he might not even be at 100 percent.

How to follow Florida basketball at Kentucky

Game day Tipico betting odds for Florida basketball at Kentucky

Tip-off is at 4 p.m. EST at Rupp Arena in Lextington, Kentucky.

Projected Starting Lineups:

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