The Kentucky Wildcats had three significant runs against the Florida Gators, two in the first half and one in the second. These pivotal moments helped secure the Wildcats’ first SEC win of the year.

Head coach Mark Pope attributes these runs to the team’s strong sense of togetherness, exemplified by moments like surprising Kerr Kriisa at his apartment for his birthday.

“I’m a big believer…it’s going to sound soft, but I am a big believer that all of my guys snuck into Kerr Kriisa’s apartment after celebrating his birthday to go scare him and to surprise him,” Pope said. “You know my guy that is struggling right now because he can’t play right now, and it’s killing him. They all snuck into his apartment like little kids to surprise him, and I actually think those runs come from a group like that. I really do. I think it comes from being together, and these guys are working so hard to be together as much as they can, and I think that is the most important ingredient.”

Kentucky has been without Kerr Kriisa since he was injured during the Gonzaga game on December 7. After undergoing surgery, Kriisa was given a six-week recovery timeline, dispelling initial fears of a season-ending injury. If the six-week estimate holds true, Kriisa could return in the final week of January.

Since then, Pope has updated Kriisa’s injury status before the Florida game.

“We’ll see, we’ll see how that goes. You know, this is a major deal, and so it’s going to be — it’ll take some time.”

Before his injury, Kerr Kriisa was averaging 5.5 points and 3.8 assists in 17.3 minutes per game for Kentucky. The team is hopeful he can return to full health soon and make the most of his final year of college eligibility.

Overall, it was great to see the team continue to support Kriisa as he works his way back from injury. Meanwhile, Pope credits the team’s strong bond for their ability to produce incredible runs during games and for setting up to be a great regular season as they prepare for tournament time.