LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Kentucky took care of business against Florida on Senior Day at Rupp Arena and got some help down south as Bruce Pearl's Auburn Tigers upset Tennessee on Saturday to give the Wildcats the No. 2 seed in next week's SEC Tournament and keep UK in contention for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Freshman wing Tyler Herro scored a team-high 16 points to lead four players in double figures for Kentucky (26-5, 15-3 SEC). Sophomore forward PJ Washington, perhaps playing his final game at Rupp Arena, followed with 15, while freshman guards Aston Hagans and Keldon Johnson each added 14 in a balanced effort by the No. 6 Wildcats.

"The way we finish the game, the will to win, the play for our team, the last four minutes of the game, Tyler made some unbelievable plays," UK head coach John Calipari said.

Florida (17-14, 9-9 SEC) got a game-high 19 points from senior center Kevarrius Hayes, but didn't get much scoring punch from its backcourt. The Gators' Andrew Nembhard, Jalen Hudson and KeVaughn Allen combined to shoot 8-for-30 from the field.

The Gators held a 31-30 lead at halftime, but UK methodically pulled away in the second half. The key stretch came from the 11:45 mark until the 4:45 mark with Florida failing to make a bucket.

Florida's poor shooting in the second half was magnified by UK's dominance of the glass. The Cats held a 39-23 rebounding advantage with Washington grabbing nine, Johnson seven and EJ Montgomery 7.

Kentucky knocked down 26 of its 32 free-throw attempts on the day. The Gators were just 6-for-11 at the line.

"They did a better job of drawing fouls on the interior force and then converting at the foul line," Florida coach Mike White said.

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In this Cats Illustrated "Rapid Recap" feature, we touch on some quick-hitters from the UK victory...

THE GOOD:

It wasn't pretty by any stretch, but Kentucky did what it had to do. A victory means the Cats will avoid playing near 10 p.m. ET on Friday night in the SEC Tournament. They'll be significantly more rested than they would have been as the No. 3 seed, which now belongs to Tennessee. It also means the Cats have a leg up on the Vols for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Three appear to be held by Gonzaga, Virginia and Duke with UK, UT and North Carolina battling for the final one.

THE BAD:

Kentucky's offense was disjointed once again playing without grad transfer forward Reid Travis, who has missed five games with a sprained right knee. The Cats shot only 41.3 percent (19 of 46) from the field and hit just two of seven attempts from beyond the 3-point arc. The had nine assists and 11 turnovers, finishing upside down or even in that ratio for the fourth time in five games since Travis was injured at Missouri.

THE UGLY:

The officiating crew of Don Daily, Mike Nance and Rob Rorke was as bad as any that have come through Rupp Arena this season. Obvious fouls ignored. Ticky tack fouls called. Anticipation calls made. It was the kind of crew that gives you nightmares when you get into a one-and-done tournament scenario.

GAME BALL:

Tyler Herro, Kentucky -- The freshman wing from Milwaukee led the Cats in scoring, including a couple of nifty "floaters" in the second half that helped keep UK in the lead. He's had 29, 20 and 16 points in three of the last four games and could be the Cats' most reliable scoring threat going into tournament play.

BY THE NUMBERS:

0 - Fast-break points for Florida.

3 for 18 - Gators' shooting from the 3-point arc.

9 - Straight Senior Day wins for Kentucky.

+16 - Kentucky advantage in the rebound column.

5:52 - Without a field goal by UK to end the first half trailing Florida 31-30.

7:00 - Between buckets for the Gators in the second half from 11:45 to 4:45.

102-40 - Kentucky's lead in the all-time series with Florida.

24,456 - Attendance at Rupp Arena.

QUOTABLE:

"You have a couple, this may be their last game (at Rupp Arena). I kind of mentioned it prior to the game." -- UK head coach John Calipari

UP NEXT:

The Cats will enter the SEC Tournament in Nashville as the No. 2 seed. Kentucky will face the winner of the Thursday matchup between the No. 7 and No. 10 seeds. UK will play at 7 p.m. ET on Friday night at Bridgestone Arena.