GAINESVILLE, FLA. ? Matt Walsh heaved the ball into the stands, David Lee jumped onto a courtside table, and Anthony Roberson ripped off his jersey.

Florida’s “Big Three” celebrated their first victory over Kentucky like no other.

“That was four years in the making right there,” Lee said.

Roberson scored 21 points, including two free throws with 15 seconds remaining, and the Gators upset the third-ranked Wildcats, 53-52, Sunday.

Florida ended an eight-game losing streak against the Southeastern Conference bully and probably ended the Wildcats’ hopes of getting a top seed in the NCAA Tournament.

“It was the greatest win of my life,” Walsh said.

Roberson, the league’s leading scorer, stripped the ball from Patrick Sparks with about 12 seconds to play, trailing 52-51. Sparks fouled Roberson as he headed the other way. Roberson stepped to the line and calmly made both ends of the one-and-one.

Kentucky (23-4, 14-2) still had a chance to win it, but Kelenna Azubuike’s three-pointer just before the buzzer bounced off the left side of the rim and into Walsh’s hands.

Then the celebration began.

Florida (20-7, 12-4) last beat the Wildcats in March 2001. The Gators have been close since, losing the last three at home by a total of seven points, but they hadn’t been able to get over the hurdle.

The “Big Three” changed that Sunday.

Lee, the team’s lone senior who was honored before his final home game, had lost all eight previous meetings against Kentucky. Walsh and Roberson had been 0-6.

“It’s taken three years for me to win this on my home floor,” Roberson said.

Walsh, Roberson and Lee combined for 43 of Florida’s 53 points. Walsh and Lee each had 11. Lee added 10 rebounds, two assists, two steals and a blocked shot.

“It was just an exciting victory,” Lee said. “I would have liked for it to not be so close.”

Chuck Hayes led the Wildcats with 11 points. Azubuike and Randolph Morris each had nine.

It was just the fifth loss in the last 53 conference games for Kentucky.

“Florida made big plays down the stretch,” Wildcats coach Tubby Smith said. “That’s what it’s all about. In a tight, tough game like this, you’ve got to make plays. They did, and we didn’t.”

Ohio State 65,

No. 1 Illinois 64

Columbus, Ohio — Ohio State reserve forward Matt Sylvester hit a three-pointer with 5.1 seconds left to hand the Illini their first loss.

The Illini (29-1, 15-1) were trying to cap the Big Ten’s first unbeaten season in 29 years. Instead, they frittered away a 12-point lead in the second half and didn’t score in the final three minutes.

Sylvester scored a career-high 25 points — eight more than his previous best — for Ohio State (19-12, 8-8), which didn’t have a turnover in the second half.

The last team to reach the NCAA Tournament without a loss was UNLV in 1991.

The Illini led 64-58 after James Augustine’s layup with 3:23 left — but didn’t score again.

Dee Brown led the Illini with 13 points.

No. 4 Wake Forest 55,

N.C. State 53

Raleigh, N.C. — Chris Paul hit a running shot at the buzzer to lift Wake Forest past North Carolina State.

Paul finished with nine points and six assists for the Demon Deacons (26-4, 13-3 Atlantic Coast Conference), who have won 10 of 11 games. Justin Gray added 15 points and a clutch tying three-pointer to set up Paul’s final shot.

No. 12 Gonzaga 90,

San Diego 74

Santa Clara, Calif. — Adam Morrison had 25 points and a career-high eight assists to help Gonzaga rout San Diego in the West Coast Conference semifinals for the Bulldogs’ 11th straight victory.