GAINESVILLE, Fla. (Interstat) — A pivotal Southeastern Conference men’s basketball clash is set for Saturday when the Florida Gators host the Kentucky Wildcats at the O’Connell Center. Both teams enter with momentum and nearly identical records. Florida (18-6, 8-3 SEC) has won five straight, including an 86-66 road win at Georgia on Wednesday. Kentucky (17-7, 7-4) has won three in a row, most recently a 74-71 home victory over then-Tennessee on Feb. 7. The matchup features two of the league’s hottest guards. Kentucky’s Otega Oweh has been on a scoring tear, averaging 22.3 points over his last seven games. He dropped 21 points in the win over Tennessee and has scored 20 or more in five of those contests. Florida’s surge has been fueled by the playmaking of Xaivian Lee. In the Gators’ current win streak, Lee is averaging 12.2 points and 6.0 assists, including an 18-point, 7-assist performance against Georgia. His ability to distribute has keyed a potent Florida offense that has averaged 90.6 points during its five-game run. Kentucky’s recent success has been built on defense, holding its last three opponents under 80 points. They will be tested by a Florida squad that leads the SEC in scoring. The Wildcats will also need to overcome a hostile road environment; they are 3-4 in true road games this season. Florida seeks to avenge a regular-season sweep by Kentucky last year and protect its home court, where it is 11-1. The Wildcats look to continue their climb in the conference standings and secure a key Quadrant 1 victory. The game tips off at 8:30 p.m. EST and will be televised on the SEC Network. The teams will meet again in the regular-season finale on March 7 in Lexington, Kentucky.