GAINESVILLE, Fla., Jan. 29 (UPI) -- Brett Nelson missed a late jumper for the sixth-ranked Florida Gators as the 11th-ranked Kentucky Wildcats ended a three-game road losing streak against their Southeastern Conference rivals Tuesday night with a 70-68 victory.
Neither team led by more than four points over the final 12 minutes, but Kentucky (14-5, 4-3 SEC East) went ahead for good at 64-63 on a free throw by Tayshaun Prince with 2 1/2 minutes left.
A 3-pointer by Keith Bogans with 89 seconds to go gave the Wildcats a 67-63 advantage.
But Prince missed a 1-and-1 opportunity and Orien Greene scored for Florida (15-4, 4-3) to cut the deficit to 69-68 with 13 seconds left.
Bogans left open the door when he missed two free throws with 10 seconds left and the Gators rushed upcourt with a chance to win. But, rather than call a play or go inside, Nelson pulled up from 17 feet and badly missed a jumper with three seconds to go.
Kentucky's Cliff Hawkins converted a free throw and intentionally missed the second with less than a second remaining.
Bogans scored an SEC season-high 20 points while Prince added 19 for the Wildcats. The end of the game was marred when Gator fans threw debris at Kentucky coach Tubby Smith.
Nelson finished with 15 points and Udonis Haslem had 14 for Florida, which has lost three straight for the first time since a five-game skid from Feb. 14-28, 1998.
