By DAVID JONES
Florida Today

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - The regular-season title is clinched. So is, in all likelihood, a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament for second-ranked Kentucky. But don't tell Tubby Smith's Wildcats or Florida's fourth-ranked Gators that Saturday's 2 p.m. meeting on CBS is for nothing. Quite the contrary.

The Gators (24-5 overall, 12-3 in the SEC) should certainly be motivated in the last regular-season conference game for both teams. UK (25-3, 15-0) handed Florida a 70-55 loss on Jan. 4 in Lexington in the Gators' first game ever as the nation's top-ranked team.

Further motivation? Seniors Brett Nelson, Matt Bonner and Justin Hamilton are playing their final game at the O'Connell Center. Bonner has been held out of practice because of a plantar fascitis problem in one of his heels, but should be able to play unless the Gators decide to rest him. Florida, which has won a school-record 19 in a row at home, could also stay in the running for an outside chance at a top seed in the NCAA Tournament. Kentucky, meanwhile, is trying to become the first team to finish the regular season unbeaten in the SEC since the 1995-96 'Cats pulled it off. That UK team went on to win the national championship.

"I think our players understand and have an appreciation about history and what it would mean," Smith said.

Kentucky, with a nation's-best 19-game winning streak, also wants to keep its momentum going heading into next weekend's SEC Tournament in New Orleans. A strong showing by guard Keith Bogans on national TV will also likely wrap up SEC Player of the Year honors for the senior. "I think that Kentucky certainly has locked up a No. 1 seed with the way they've played," Florida coach Billy Donovan said. "But the other thing they are playing for is 16 wins in the best conference in America. Certainly that's a lot to play for. They want to continue to stay on a roll, to continue to play well.

"For us, certainly we're playing for seeding, it's our last home game, we've got three guys that have played here for four years that have done a great job for us. It's two teams right now ranked in the top five. You want to be playing well this time of year as you're moving into the SEC Tournament heading into March."

Smith is also a leading candidate not only for SEC Coach of the Year, but National Coach of the Year a season after UK struggled with various off-court problems.

"Last year, there were certainly some ups and downs, people left and everything else," Donovan said. "But I think Tubby's got guys in there right now that have totally bought into the team concept. You win at this level on a consistent basis with unselfishness and guys that can understand their role, fit into a team, not get caught up in shots and points and those type of things."

The thing that has set Kentucky apart from anyone else in the SEC, if not the country?

"Their defense is going to give them a chance to win a lot of games," said Vanderbilt coach Kevin Stallings, whose Commodores were humbled by UK, 106-44, Wednesday. "The question becomes when it gets to be a possession game in the NCAA Tournament, they get so many transition baskets. If their half-court offense holds up, then they will go deep into the tournament. If they are allowed to play in transition, then you are going to have a hard time beating them."

No. 2 UK at No. 3 Florida

Tipoff: 2 p.m. today, O'Connell Center (12,000), Gainesville, Fla.

Records: UK 25-3 (15-0 Southeastern Conference), Florida 24-5 (12-3).

Radio: WSAI-AM (1530).

TV: Ch. 12.

Series: UK leads 79-24.

KENTUCKY

Player	Yr.	Ht.	PPG
Chuck Hayes	So.	6-6	9.0
Erik Daniels	Jr.	6-8	10.0
Marquis Estill	Sr.	6-9	11.1
Keith Bogans	Sr.	6-5	16.0
Gerald Fitch	Jr.	6-3	12.4

Coach: Tubby Smith (157-46, sixth season; 281-108 overall).

FLORIDA

Player	Yr.	Ht.	PPG
Matt Walsh	Fr.	6-6	13.0
Matt Bonner	Sr.	6-10	15.4
David Lee	So.	6-9	10.8
A. Roberson	Sr.	6-1	8.1
Justin Hamilton	Sr.	6-3	8.1

Coach: Billy Donovan (148-70, seventh season; 183-90 overall).