Regardless of lacking two starters in Saturday’s top-10 matchup in opposition to No. 5 Florida, No. 8 Tennessee used a large second-half assault to knock off the Gators, 64-44, and get again up above .500 in convention play.
The Vols (18-4, 5-4 SEC) had been with out each senior guard Zakai Zeigler (knee damage) and senior ahead Igor Milicic Jr. (sickness), however in the end, that did not matter.
Tennessee outscored Florida, 40-23, within the second half and by no means trailed after the 1:07 mark within the first half.
Senior guard Chaz Lanier stepped up for the Vols, scoring 19 factors and going 5-for-9 from three-point vary. Lanier’s 19 factors had been his most within the final three video games and had been a lot wanted for Tennessee with out Zeigler and Milicic.
Senior guard Jordan Gainey was inserted into the beginning lineup and performed exceptionally nicely, ending with 16 factors, 4 rebounds, 4 assists and three steals. Junior ahead Felix Okpara was additionally in double figures, ending with 10 factors and eight rebounds.
Florida (18-3, 5-3 SEC) was with out its star, senior guard Walter Clayton Jr., for a majority of the second half as a consequence of an ankle damage.
The Gators shot simply 4-for-27 (14.8%) from three, their worst three-point taking pictures efficiency of the season.
Clayton led Florida in scoring with 10 factors regardless of lacking many of the second half. No different participant was in double figures for the Gators, because the workforce made simply 13 whole pictures from the sector.
The win for Tennessee was a lot wanted, because the Vols averted a three-game shedding streak.
Florida’s loss was its worst of the season and first since Jan. 14 in opposition to Missouri. The Gators might want to bounce again in a rush, as their subsequent three video games are in opposition to top-25 opponents.
