Can the Gators get some defensive stops today at Kentucky?

Alijah Martin's defense will be critical today for the Gators at Rupp (Photo by Chris Spears)

Scoring seems to be the least of the concerns for 6th-ranked Florida (13-0). The Gators average 87.4 points per game, which ranks ninth in the country. It’s the same for 10th-ranked Kentucky (11-2), which puts up 89 a game, third nationally.

Something has to give when you put two teams with such high-powered offenses on the court. Even if the game turns into a shootout, which this morning’s Florida-Kentucky matchup at Rupp Arena (11 a.m., ESPN) could be, someone is going to have to get some stops to pull off a win.

If there is an advantage for the Gators, who have won only 12 times in Lexington in the years the two teams have been playing, it could be on the defensive end, where only three UF opponents have scored more than 69 points. South Florida scored 83 in the season opener, Florida State scored 74 in Tallahassee in mid-November and North Carolina scored 84 back on December 17.

The Gators have what head coach Todd Golden calls “spurtability,” which is their ability to go on these scoring blitzes in which they outscore opponents by 10 or 15 or more over a short stretch that seems to leave the other team gasping for breath. Florida’s scoring spurts are one of the chief reasons basketball analytical guru Ken Pomeroy ranks the Gators eighth in offensive efficiency. Most highly efficient offensive teams suffer some sort of drop off on the other end of the floor, but not the Gators, who are ranked 12th in defensive analytics.

In layman’s terms, the Gators score 87.4, give up 63.5 (24th nationally) and rank No. 1 in the nation in scoring margin at 23.9 points per game. The Gators rank fourth nationally in 3-point defensive, allowing opponents to shoot a meager 26.6 percent.

The Gators are the No. 1 rebounding team in the country (45.69) and the No. 4 team in offensive rebounds (15.31). Alex Condon leads Florida’s 4-man rotation of big guys at 7.5 rebounds per game, while Rueben Chinyelu grabs 6.7, Thomas Haugh 5.7 and Sam Alexis 5.3. The big guys get plenty of help from guards Alijah Martin (5.7) and Will Richard (5.0).

Kentucky has been ranked as high as No. 4 this season, largely on the strength of wins over Duke and Gonzaga, but the Wildcats were shocked at Clemson during the SEC-ACC Shootout and back on December 21 they had their doors blown off by Ohio State, 85-65, in a neutral site game. Kentucky is 9-0 at Rupp Arena.

Key matchups: Critical for the Gators will be shutting down Kentucky’s perimeter 3-some of leading scorer Otega Oweh (15.9 points, 36.1 percent on 3-pointers), Lamont Butler (13.3 points, 41.9 percent on 3-pointers) and Koby Brea (11.9 points, 49.4 percent on 3-pointers). Will Richard will probably draw the assignment of Brea while Alijah Martin will likely draw Butler and Walter Clayton Jr. most likely Oweh ... The tough inside matchup will be Wake Forest transfer Andrew Carr (6-11, 235), averaging 11.3 points and 6.2 rebounds. Playing for Wake Forest against the Gators a year ago, Carr lit up UF for 22 points while hitting 3-6 on his 3-pointers. Alex Condon probably gets the initial assignment on Carr.

Stuff: The Gators are No. 4 in the NCAA NET rankings while Kentucky is No. 14. In the overall Kenpom.com analytics, the Gators are No. 7 nationally while Kentucky is No. 22 ... Kentucky is No. 10 offensively and No. 56 defensively at Kenpom.com.

Anticipated starting lineups

No. 6 FLORIDA (13-0): Alex Condon (6-11, 230, SO); Rueben Chinyelu (6-10, 255, SO); Will Richard (6-4, 206, SR); Alijah Martin (6-2, 195, GR); Walter Clayton Jr. (6-2, 195, SR)

No. 10 Kentucky (11-2): Andrew Carr (6-11, 235, SR); Amari Williams (6-10, 262, SR); Jaxson Robinson (6-6, 192, SR); Otega Oweh (6-4, 215, JR); Lamont Butler (6-2, 208)

SEC BASKETBALL

Today’s games

No. 6 FLORIDA (13-0) at No. 10 Kentucky (11-2)

No. 23 Arkansas (11-2) at No. 1 Tennessee (13-0)

Missouri (11-2) at No. 2 Auburn (12-1)

No. 12 Oklahoma (13-0) at No. 5 Alabama (11-2)

Texas (11-2) at No. 13 Texas A&M (11-2)

South Carolina (10-3) at No. 17 Mississippi State (12-1)

Georgia (12-1) at No. 24 Ole Miss (11-2)

Vanderbilt (12-1) at LSU (11-2)