SEC Tournament 2012: Keys to Florida Gators' Upset Bid vs. Kentucky Wildcats

No SEC team has been able to beat the No. 1 Kentucky Wildcats this season, and the only blemish on their record is a one-point loss to Indiana. Despite that, the Wildcats still have to win two games in order to complete a perfect season in the conference, and it starts with a semifinal game against the Florida Gators.

Florida was expected to be Kentucky's biggest competition in the SEC this season, but the Wildcats blew the Gators out twice in the regular season. Even so, in terms of talent level, Florida is Kentucky's closest rival in the conference. An upset may seem unlikely, but if the Gators can put together the perfect game plan, it is possible.

Here are the Gators' main keys to pulling off a major upset against the Wildcats.

Slow Down the Pace

Thanks to speedy guards like Kenny Boynton, Bradley Beal and Erving Walker, the Gators love to push the pace on offense. While that may work against most teams, that isn't the smartest approach against the Wildcats. Perhaps no team in the nation is faster or more athletic than Kentucky. Not only does Kentucky have a backcourt that can make plays, but bigs like Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist are quite capable of running the floor as well.

While it is often said that a team should play to its strengths regardless of opponent, the Gators would be playing into the Wildcats' strengths if they pushed the pace, and Kentucky is simply better at it. Rather than getting into a track meet, the Gators ought to slow down the pace and run some half-court offense. It may not be the most comfortable thing, but it will make the Wildcats work and shorten the game.

Deny Access to the Paint

As much as Doron Lamb and Darius Miller can do damage from the outside, Kentucky truly sets itself apart from the field with its big men. Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Terrence Jones are all dominant post players who can take over a game at the drop of a hat. Few teams have even one player of their caliber, but the Wildcats are lucky enough to have three, so it is almost impossible to stop them.

As difficult as it may be, the Gators must do everything possible to deny access to the paint. If that means sagging off the three-point arc and clogging the lane, then that is what Florida has to do. Although that means that the Wildcats would probably get some open outside looks, the Gators have to pick their poison. Kentucky can probably win either way, but Florida gives itself a much better chance if it forces the Wildcats to shoot from distance.

Get Edge in Guard Play

While Patric Young and Erik Murphy are solid post players, the Gators simply aren't going to matchup with the Wildcats down low in this game. Young and Murphy have to give their best effort respectively, but just to have a stalemate with the Wildcats' bigs would be huge.

What Florida does have to do, however, is blow Kentucky out of the water in terms of guard play. The Wildcats have good perimeter players, but Kenny Boynton, Bradley Beal and Erving Walker buoy the Gators' three-guard attack.

It will be tough for Boynton, Beal and Walker to play to their full potential if they run the offense more deliberately, but it is essential that they do so. Florida's three guards are their best offensive players by far, and that is where it holds an advantage over Kentucky. If Doron Lamb and Darius Miller outplay them, then the Gators simply have no chance.