[Stardust]

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — A'dia Mathies scored 14 points, Bria Goss added 11 and No. 6 Kentucky beat cold-shooting Florida 59-56 on Sunday in the Southeastern Conference opener for both schools.The Wildcats (12-2, 1-0) were coming off a rough stretch, losing two of their last three games, including a setback at unranked Middle Tennessee State last Monday. The Wildcats' other loss came 10 days earlier at third-ranked Notre

Dame.Deana Allen had 14 points and Ndidi Madu finished with 11 for Florida (10-4, 0-1), which shot 32.8 percent and committed 23 turnovers. Jennifer George added 10 points and 11 rebounds, and Jaterra Bonds also scored 10.Azania Stewart made a free throw with 8:19 left to help Florida close to 42-41, but the Wildcats responded with an 11-4 surge. Amber Smith capped the run with a three-pointer that just beat the shot clock and made it 53-45.Neither team shot well in a tight first half that featured eight lead changes

and six ties. Kentucky hit 39.4 percent while Florida shot 32.3 percent.Mathies made two three-pointers in a 15-second span late in the first half, helping Kentucky to a 33-29 lead.The Wildcats also recorded a narrow victory in Gainesville last season when Victoria Dunlap made two free throws with 10 seconds to send Kentucky to a 59-58 win.Kentucky opens the home portion of its SEC schedule Thursday against Arkansas while Florida, which had won its three previous games, visits Mississippi on Thursday. Copyright 2012 . All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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