GAINESVILLE, Fla.(AP) -- Denzel Aberdeen helped Florida win a national championship last April. In his homecoming, he was dubbed a "Gator traitor."
The Kentucky guard was taunted endlessly in a 92-83 loss to the Gators. It was Aberdeen's first game in Gainesville since leaving the program and signing with a Southeastern Conference rival.
Florida fans booed him in pregame warmups and introductions. But Florida's student section, the "Rowdy Reptiles," was much harsher once the game tipped. They "welcomed" him back with chants of "Gator traitor" every time he touched the ball.
Aberdeen, who spent the previous three years at Florida, handled it well. He responded by scoring a team-high 19 points on 8-of-21 shooting. The Gators forced him to take contested shots -- he missed five of six from 3-point range - and didn't let him do much else.
Aberdeen chipped in four assists, two turnovers, a steal and a rebound.
"Well, Florida fans know Denzel," Kentucky coach Mark Pope said. "Denzel is the ultimate competitor. I never worry about the lights with him. I never worry about the moment. And I never worry about the distraction because he loves to compete.
"This fanbase knows him. Of...
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