The dream of an undefeated season came to a screeching halt for No. 1 Tennessee on Tuesday night. In a stunning display of dominance, the No. 8 Florida Gators thrashed the previously unbeaten Volunteers 73-43 at the O’Connell Center in Gainesville.
Alijah Martin led the way for Florida with 18 points, while Denzel Aberdeen chipped in 16 as the Gators improved to 14-1 overall and 1-1 in SEC play. Alex Condon posted a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds to help snap Tennessee’s 14-game winning streak to open the year.
Gators Pounce Early and Often
In front of a raucous crowd of 11,011, Florida wasted no time asserting its dominance. The Gators raced out to a 12-0 lead as the Vols missed their first nine shots from the field.
Tonight, we played with great physical and mental toughness. All eight guys that played answered the bell, and we obviously guarded incredibly well tonight… It’s a great result for us.
– Florida coach Todd Golden
The offensive struggles persisted all night for Tennessee, which made just four field goals in the entire first half. By the time Aberdeen and Will Richard each splashed home a 3-pointer midway through the opening period, the Gators had stretched the margin to 13 and the sellout crowd was in a frenzy.
Vols Ice Cold in Blowout
For a Tennessee offense that came in averaging over 80 points per game, nothing seemed to fall against Florida’s stifling defense. The Vols shot a paltry 3-for-16 from the field in the first 20 minutes and found themselves down by a staggering 36 points late in the contest.
- Tennessee’s 43 points were a season low
- The 30-point loss was the Vols’ worst under Rick Barnes
Transfer guard Chaz Lanier, who spent the previous four seasons at nearby North Florida, epitomized the Vols’ offensive woes. He managed just 10 points on 3-of-16 shooting against the swarming Gators.
Tough Love from Barnes
Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes didn’t mince words after watching his squad get completely outclassed. While disappointed, the veteran leader tried to find a silver lining in the epic beatdown.
This could be good for us. We’ll learn from it.
– Tennessee coach Rick Barnes
At 14-1 overall and 1-1 in the SEC, the Volunteers certainly remain in the thick of the conference title race. But after barely surviving scares against inferior opponents in recent weeks, the blowout in Gainesville exposed some cracks in the armor of college basketball’s last unbeaten team.
Gators Stake Claim to SEC Throne
For Florida, the resounding win serves notice that the Gators are a force to be reckoned with, both in the SEC and nationally. Todd Golden’s defensively-stout squad has now won 16 straight in the cozy confines of the O’Dome.
The victory also marked the third time in program history that Florida has knocked off a No. 1-ranked team, and the first such occasion at home. With a balanced scoring attack and relentless defensive intensity, the Gators appear poised to make some serious noise in March.
Vols’ Dream Deferred
As for Tennessee, the quest for an undefeated campaign is over. After barely getting past Ole Miss in overtime last week, many wondered if the Vols were ripe for an upset.
The Gators validated those concerns in emphatic fashion on Tuesday night. Now Barnes must rally the troops quickly with tough tests against No. 10 UConn and sizzling Vanderbilt looming in the coming weeks.
The college basketball world will be watching intently to see how this proud Tennessee program responds to adversity. One loss – even a humbling one – certainly doesn’t derail a season. But for a team with national title aspirations, the Vols’ margin for error just got considerably thinner.
