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Gators tame Wildcats ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Scottie Wilbekin had 14 points and eight assists, Pat Young recorded his sixth double-double of the season and No. 7 Florida handled No. 25 Kentucky 69-52 on Tuesday night.
The Gators (20-3, 10-1 Southeastern Conference) snapped a five-game losing streak in the series, and coach Billy Donovan improved to 2-7 against Kentucky's John Calipari.
This one solidified Florida's spot atop the league standings.
The Wildcats (17-7, 8-3) lost for the first time in six games, and it may have been costly.
Nerlens Noel, the nation's leading shot-blocker, injured his left knee in the second half and did not return.
Noel, a freshman who averages 10.6 points, 9.6 rebounds and 4.5 blocks a game for the defending national champions, landed awkwardly on his leg with about eight minutes to play. He screamed in pain as trainers rushed to his side. Teammates carried him to the locker room for tests.
Florida had a comfortable lead before the injury.
The Gators opened a double-digit lead, 31-19, in the first half on consecutive 3-pointers by Wilbekin, Mike Rosario and Kenny Boynton.
Young and fellow big man Erik Murphy, who was in early foul trouble, carried the load in the second half.
Young made a basket with a nifty, up-and-under move, had a reverse layup and added a sweet, left-handed hook. He finished with 12 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks.
Michigan State 75, Michigan 52: Gary Harris scored 17 points and Derrick Nix had 14 to help the No. 8 Spartans rout the No. 4 Wolverines in the rivalry's first matchup of top 10 teams.
The Spartans (21-4, 10-2 Big Ten) broke a first-place tie in the conference with No. 1 Indiana, which plays at Michigan State next Tuesday. The Wolverines (21-4, 8-4), who have lost three of four, were held to a season-low point total.
Michigan State didn't trail once, led by as many as 16 points in the first half and enjoyed 30-point leads in the second half.
Trey Burke scored 18 points for the Wolverines while Tim Hardaway Jr. was 1 of 11 from the field and scored a season-low two points. Michigan had a season-high 16 turnovers.
Cincinnati 68, Villanova 50: Sean Kilpatrick and JaQuon Parker scored 19 points apiece, and the Bearcats turned up the defensive pressure and emerged from a two-game slump by beating the Wildcats.
Cincinnati (19-6, 7-5 Big East) has relied on Kilpatrick for most of its offense lately with point guard Cashmere Wright on the mend.
Villanova (15-10, 6-6) had won its last two games with high-percentage shooting. The Wildcats had a tough time getting open against Cincinnati's trapping defense and turned it over 19 times.
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