The Tennessee Volunteers (20-7 10-5 SEC) got 23 points from Forward Grant Williams & allowed just 18 points in the first half to beat the Florida Gators 62-57 in Knoxville on Wednesday night. Florida (17-11 8-7 SEC), losers of three straight, shot 35% from the floor for the game.
The first four minutes of the game included the Gators turning the ball over three times, missing five shots from the floor & not scoring a point. As a matter of fact, it wasn't until there were four and half minutes gone in the first half before Guard Mike Okauru scored on a layup, making the score 6-2 Tennessee. And although the Gators started the game slowly, the Vols couldn't take advantage because they went through their own scoring drought, failing to score a point in nearly four minutes.
By the time the game was nearly nine minutes old, the Gators struggles handling & shooting the basketball continued. After Vols Guard Jordan Bone hit a jumper to give Tennessee a 12-5 lead, the Gators had doubled the amount of turnovers (five) than baskets made (two). But the Gators went on a 9-2 run to tie the score at 14. The Gators run included a dunk by Guard Jalen Hudson, a three pointer from Egor Koulechov & a layup from Guard Chris Chiozza. But a layup by Tennessee Guard Lamonte Turner kept the Gators from taking their first lead of the game.
Florida was able to take their first of the game with just over five minutes left in the half, when Chiozza was able to get an offensive rebound & hit a put back to make the score 17-16. But the remaining five minutes of the half was all Tennessee, as the Vols went on a 11-1 run. The run included Tennessee hitting their only three pointer of the half when Guard James Daniel III drained a jumper. And Tennessee Forward Admiral Schofield scored four points during the run, including a short jumper to end the scoring in first half.
Neither team shot the ball well in the first half with Florida hitting 27% of their shots, while Tennessee shot 38%. The two teams also combined to shoot 2/17 on three pointers & neither team was careful with the basketball with Tennessee committing 10 turnovers, meanwhile the Gators turned the ball eight times, which was one more turnover than baskets they scored in the first half.
The second half started with the Gators scoring the first five points of the half on a three pointer by Chiozza & a layup by Forward Kevarrius Hayes cutting the lead to four. But back to back three pointers from Schofield & Turner gave the Vols a 33-23 lead. But trailing by 10, the Gators scored 9 unanswered points including three free throws from Hudson & an old-fashioned three pointer from Forward Keith Stone.
The next four minutes of play was controlled by Tennessee & the Vols were able to flex their muscle a little by scoring inside the paint. Up by just one, the Vols got a dunk by Schofield. And after the teams traded a basket, the Vols were able to get inside again when Forward Jordan Bowden got a strong dunk. And following that dunk, Schofield hit back to back short jumpers, the second one while being fouled. Add Schofield's free throw to the scoreboard & the Vols had a 44-36 lead.
Tennessee was able to make the lead double digits after Bowden added a short jumper. But after three pointers from Stone & Hudson, the Gators were able to keep it a two possession game. And because the Vols went over two minutes without a basket, Florida was able to cut the deficit to four after Hudson hit another three pointer following an offensive rebound by Chiozza. But another Tennesse dunk, this one by Williams gave the Vols a 59-53 lead with 90 seconds left in the game.
With the Gators scrambling & pushing the basketball, Chiozza hit two layups cutting their deficit to three. But with a chance to make it a two point game, Chiozza missed a free throw to cap a potential three point play, forcing the Gators to foul. And Bowden hit two free throws to end the game's scoring.
The Gators will try to end their three game losing streak when they host #12 Auburn on Saturday night at 8:30 pm.