Davion Mintz will be tested by Florida's guards tonight. (SEC Photo)
Florida started Southeastern Conference play with two wins before losing 86-71 at Alabama Tuesday when it gave up a 20-4 second-half scoring run. Today Florida hosts Kentucky — the only team still unbeaten in SEC play other than Alabama.
Forward Colin Castleton is averaging 19.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game in SEC play and shooting 70.6 percent from the field. He had 13 points and eight rebounds against Alabama. Tre Mann had 11 points and six assists against Alabama and is shooting 45 percent from the field against conference teams.
Kentucky assistant coach Jai Lucas said the Cats will have plenty of challenges in tonight’s game.
“They’re good. They’ve got good guards. They do a good job at spreading the floor and trying to create mismatches in that sense of finding somebody that they think they can attack,” Lucas said.
“The big kid, the transfer from Michigan, Colin Castleton, has been playing really good. They’ve done a good job at getting him the ball.”
Lucas does worry about UK’s ability to guard the ball and stay in front of offensive players, something the Cats have had trouble doing at times.
“I have watched Florida with the connection there (Lucas played his freshman year at Florida), it’s probably one of their best defensive teams as well that I’ve seen them have in a while with some of the stuff they’re doing defensively, switching and things like that,” Lucas said.
“I think it’ll be a good challenge for us.”
