Preview: Florida Gators Basketball vs. Kentucky

GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- The 14th-ranked Florida Gators on Saturday will host rival Kentucky in one of the biggest SEC matchups of the season. With SEC postseason seeding implications, as well as one of the deepest rivalries in the conference, there's no love lost for this Valentine's Day matchup.

For UF head coach Todd Golden, though, it is just another game. Not in the sense of just treating it like any other game, but in the sense of treating every game like a national championship game.

"They're a very good team. They've done well, they've won eight out of the last nine. But like, I mean, to be honest, like, in terms of approaching the contest, it's no different than how I was feeling on Tuesday or Monday, whatever day was before Georgia, or last Friday before A&M," he said. "Like, to be honest, these all feel like the National Championship, we treat it the same way. And I think it's important for our players and our staff to have that same mentality."

As if this rivalry did not need any more fuel to it, there is also the Denzel Aberdeen effect. The former Gator, who scored the final point in last year's national title game and who was expected to be a key player on this year's team, transferred from Florida due to NIL and eventually landed at Kentucky.

Yet, like Golden's statement about the game as a whole, meeting against his former player is just like any other game.

"Happy he's doing really well. Obviously, he's helped their team quite a bit, get right these last couple months, and put them in a position where they're competing. For us, like I said, just another game tomorrow and I don't anticipate (Denzel's return) being an issue or distraction for us."

Here is everything you need to know for the Gators’ matchup against the Wildcats, including broadcast information and betting odds.

No. 14 Florida Gators (18-6, 9-2 SEC) vs. No. 25 Kentucky (17-7, 8-3 SEC): What You Need to Know

Where: Exactech Arena at Stephen C. O'Connell Center, Gainesville, Fla.

When: Saturday, Feb. 14, 3 p.m. ET

Watch: ABC

• Play-by-Play: Karl Ravech
• Analysts: Jimmy Dykes

Radio: Gator Sports Network from LEARFIELD

• Play-by-play: Sean Kelley
• Analyst: Lee Humphrey
• Reporter: Steve Egan

Odds: Florida is considered a 12.5-point favorite over Kentucky, according to FanDuel. The over/under is set at 154.5 points.

• Editor's note: ​​Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Series History: Kentucky leads the all-time series, 110-42, after a 106-100 win last season in Lexington. Florida's last win came a year prior with a 94-91 win in overtime in Lexington, snapping a five-game losing streak and marking just the Gators' second win in the last 12 matchups. Florida has not beaten Kentucky at home since the 2017-18 season, an 80-67 win.