Florida edges Kentucky 71-67 for series split

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) Tre Mann scored 14 of his 21 points in the second half and Florida pulled out a 71-67 victory over Kentucky on Saturday, winning its third straight game and avenging a blowout loss to the Wildcats. Tyree Appleby’s wide-open 3-pointer with 3 1/2 minutes remaining put the Gators (13-6, 9-5 Southeastern Conference) ahead for good at 65-63 in a game that had 14 lead changes and nine ties, the vast majority coming in the second half when neither team led by more than four. Florida, which lost to Kentucky 76-58 on Jan. 9, picked up just the fifth season split in the series’ history, the last coming in 1998.