AM850.com

The University of Florida men's basketball team is going to have to sweat it out for a third year in a row as far as getting to the NCAA Tournament is concerned after losing at third ranked Kentucky 74-66 on Sunday.

Florida ends the regular season 20-11 and 9-7 in the SEC but will probably have to win at least one game in the SEC Tournament to go to the NCAA Tournament. Florida will open play in the SEC Tournament on Thursday against Auburn, a team it defeated earlier this season.

The Gators trailed by as many as 18 points in the first half but battled back to trail by 10 points at halftime. In the second half, Florida made a game of it, pulling to within 62-60 with about five and a half minutes left but despite hanging around the Gators could never take the lead and pull off the upset at Rupp Arena.

Florida ended the game just 2 of 10 from the field and Kentucky (29-2, 14-2 SEC) was able to claim the win.

Perhaps a good sign from this game was the play of the Gator bench as Ray Shipman and Erik Murphy each scored nine points in the game. Florida may have to have that kind of production as some of its starters are not scoring well.