LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Koby Brea scored 23 points and hit seven 3-pointers off the bench to lead No. 10 Kentucky over No. 6 Florida 106-100 on Saturday, handing the Gators their first loss of the season.
The Gators (13-1, 0-1 Southeastern Conference) had cut an 80-69 Kentucky lead to 89-87 on Walter Clayton Jr.’s free throws with 4:40 remaining, but Lamont Butler hit a 3 as the shot clock wound down and added two free throws to help the Wildcats (12-2, 1-0) hang on.
Clayton scored 33 points, 12 of those in Florida's 18-9 run before Butler’s 3 with 3:42 left. Alijah Martin scored 20 of his 26 points in the second half to rally Florida after Kentucky took a 52-42 halftime lead.
Butler finished with 19 points and eight assists as Kentucky placed six players in double digits.
Florida: The Gators used offensive rebounding to take an early lead in the game and then battle their way back in the second half. They had 15 offensive rebounds leading to 31 second chance points.
Kentucky: In the first 10 minutes, Kentucky was outrebounded 12-2 and trailed 20-11. Over the rest of the first half, Kentucky held a 16-9 rebounding edge and a 10-point halftime lead.
Florida had cut the Kentucky lead to one at 70-69 when coach Todd Golden took a 30-second timeout. The Wildcats scored the next 10 points.
Florida had held its previous four opponents to 20% shooting on 3-pointers, giving up about five 3s per game. Kentucky shot 48% and made 14 3s.
Both teams play Tuesday night: Florida hosts top-ranked Tennessee while Kentucky goes on the road to Georgia.
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Kentucky's Otega Oweh (00) throws up a shot near Florida's Alex Condon, right, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Lexington, Ky., Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/James Crisp)
Kentucky's Amari Williams (22) shoots in the middle of the Florida defense during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Lexington, Ky., Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/James Crisp)
A major winter blast of snow, ice, wind and plunging temperatures in the U.S. stirred dangerous travel conditions from central and southern states all the way to the East Coast early Monday, prompting schools and government offices in several states to close.
Over the weekend, at least 600 motorists were stranded in Missouri, authorities said. Hundreds of car accidents were reported in Virginia, Indiana, Kansas and Kentucky.
Here's the latest:
In Texas, the state’s independent grid operator issued a weather warning Monday for residents to be aware of cold temperatures.
Forecasts show major cities like Houston hitting below 30 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 1 degree Celsius) throughout the week. Grid conditions are expected to remain normal despite the higher demand for electricity and experts don’t foresee any major problems to occur.
President Joe Biden and his team are closely monitoring the severe winter weather across much of the U.S., the White House said in a statement Monday.
White House spokesperson Jeremy Edwards said Biden has directed senior White House Officials to be in close touch with their state and local counterparts in the affected areas. Support will be offered as needed.
“We want to encourage all Americans affected by this weather to take it seriously, continue to monitor forecasts, and heed the warnings of local officials," Edwards said.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear urged residents to stay off the roads Monday as highway crews continued to clear roadways.
“This is a significant snow and ice event, so the roadways are still dangerous,” the governor said. “You might be able to see the pavement but that doesn’t mean that it’s not slick. A half an inch of ice is very hard to treat, especially when it coats everything.”
Kentucky State Police dispatchers reported more than 170 vehicle accidents and over 280 stranded motorists who were helped, he said.
The thoroughbreds residing at storied Calumet Farm in central Kentucky were riding out the winter storm in the safety of their stalls. The horses were led back to the barns Sunday afternoon before freezing rain turned pastures into a slick glaze of snow and ice.
“The ice is the worst part,” Eddie Kane, the farm manager at Calumet, said Monday. “I still haven’t turned them out because it’s still a little bit too dangerous. It’s like an ice-skating rink out there in the fields.”
The horses do fine in the snow, he said, but the ice created too much risk to keep them outside.
“Horses would rather be outside than in a stall,” Kane said. “But I just do it for my own peace of mind.”
Grain rations are bumped up for the horses amid the cold and they eat as much hay as they want, Kane said.
Marion County Public Health Department offices in Indianapolis were closed Monday due to poor weather. All clinics and walk-in services operated by the health department also are closed. The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning Monday for the Indianapolis area, with snow possible, a high temperature near 28 degrees Fahrenheit and wind gusts as high as 32 mph.
An essential travel watch due to snow was declared Sunday night for Wayne County, Richmond and Centerville, all in eastern Indiana. Only essential travel, like driving to and from work or school, essential medical care, and for supplies or shelter, will be permitted on county roads under the declaration, according to the county. Parking on all county roads and their right-of-way is prohibited.
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb on Sunday activated the state’s National Guard to assist state and local responders with support during the winter storm.
In Virginia, state police said in a news release they responded to more than 200 crashes between 4 p.m. Sunday and 4 a.m. Monday, although not all were storm related.
Several accidents included injuries, while one was fatal. A 32-year-old man died around midnight in Wakefield, which is south of Richmond, after his truck ran off the road and struck a tree. Police said he was driving too fast for roadway conditions and wasn’t wearing a seat belt, while alcohol appears to be a factor.
A record 8 inches of snow fell Sunday at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, leading to dozens of flight cancellations that lingered into Monday.
A few more inches of snow was expected Monday across the Cincinnati area, where car and truck crashes Monday morning shutdown at least two major routes leading into downtown.
School closings are expected to be widespread Monday. Districts in Indiana, Virginia and Kentucky began announcing cancellations and delays on Sunday afternoon. Kentucky’s Jefferson County Public Schools canceled classes, extracurricular activities and athletics for its nearly 100,000 students.
Classes also have been cancelled in Maryland, where Gov. Wes Moore declared a state of emergency Sunday and announced the state government would be closed Monday.
“Keeping Marylanders safe is our top priority. Please stay off the roads during this storm. Prepare your home and family and charge your communications devices in case you lose power,” Moore said in a statement.
National Park Service workers shovel a pathway during a winter storm at the White House, Monday, Jan. 6, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Workers clear steps at the Capitol as snow falls ahead of a joint session of Congress to certify the votes from the Electoral College in the presidential election, in Washington, Monday, Jan. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Snow falls during a winter storm at the White House, Monday, Jan. 6, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
National Park Service workers shovel a pathway during a winter storm at the White House, Monday, Jan. 6, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Snow falls at the Capitol ahead of a joint session of Congress to certify the votes from the Electoral College in the presidential election, in Washington, Monday, Jan. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Workers clear steps at the Capitol as snow falls ahead of a joint session of Congress to certify the votes from the Electoral College in the presidential election, in Washington, Monday, Jan. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
A car slowly navigates a snow-covered interstate Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
A person who declined to be identified jogs down a snow-covered street Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Enrique Davila crosses the street with his dog, Chula, as heavy snow falls Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Workers clear the plaza at the Capitol as snow falls ahead of a joint session of Congress to certify the votes from the Electoral College in the presidential election, in Washington, Monday, Jan. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Snow covers homes during a winter storm, Monday, Jan. 6, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)
A person crosses a street as heavy snow falls Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Ice encases tree branches in downtown Lexington, Ky., on Monday, Jan. 6, 2025. (Ryan C. Hermens/Lexington Herald-Leader via AP)
Ice and snow cover a sidewalk in downtown Lexington, Ky., on Monday, Jan. 6, 2025. (Ryan C. Hermens/Lexington Herald-Leader via AP)
