The Official #2 Tennessee @ Florida Game Thread, 7:00 PM ET, ESPN2

#1

YankeeVol

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#1
#2 Tennessee Volunteers: 18-3 (8-1 SEC)
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Florida Gators: 12-9 (5-3 SEC)
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GAME 22 | TENNESSEE at FLORIDA - Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023 | 7:01 p.m. ET | Gainesville, Fla. | Exactech Arena (10,151)


Line: UT -5
O/U: 132

TV: ESPN2 / Watch
Radio: Vol Network / Listen / Live Stats
Satellite Radio: SiriusXM: 81 / Internet: 81
Online: WatchESPN.com

Florida Game Notes

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#2
#2
THE SERIES

• Tennessee leads its all-time series with Florida, 80-58, dating to 1927.
• But when the series is contested in Gainesville, the Gators hold a 36-26 advantage.
• Tennessee is 1-4 in its last five trips to Exactech Arena, with the lone win in that span coming in 2019, when the Vols were ranked No. 3.
• The Volunteers won last season's lone meeting, rallying from a 13-point deficit to post a 78-71 victory in Knoxville.
• Santiago Vescovi was 5-for-8 from 3-point range in last season's win over Florida. His 23 points tied a then-career-high.
• The Vols have won six straight SEC true road games (nine straight SEC games away from home including the 2022 SEC Tournament).
• In SEC road games, the Vols are undefeated and allowing only 54.0 points per game.
• Tennessee's four-game win streak is the longest active win streak among league teams.
 
#3
#3
SCOUTING REPORT

• The Vols have held the No. 2 spot in the NCAA's NET ratings since Jan. 3.
• During SEC play, Tennessee leads the league in scoring defense (55.1 ppg), field-goal percentage (.478), 3-point percentage (.356), FT percentage (.777), assists (17.6) and assist/turnover ratio (1.42).
• In its last 24 games against SEC opponents, the Vols are 22-2 with wins over every league opponent except Alabama (no meetings).
• Reigning SEC Player of the Week Zakai Zeigler is averaging a league-best 7.3 assists during SEC play and has dished out 27 assists in UT's last three games.
• In UT's two wins last week, Santiago Vescovi led the team in rebounding with 7.5 per game. He is three 3-point makes shy of fourth place on the program's all-time list.
• Tennessee has two wins over teams with a current top-10 NET rating—No. 8 Kansas and No. 9 Texas. UT is one of only six teams in the country that can claim that.
• During the Barnes era, Tennessee has appeared in the top three of the AP poll 11 times. The Vols made three total top-three appearances in program history before Barnes' hiring.
 
#4
#4
THE NATION'S BEST DEFENSE

• For the 10th straight week, the Volunteers own the best adjusted defensive efficiency in the country per KenPom, allowing only 84.1 points per 100 possessions.
• Tennessee owns the nation's best scoring defense (54.5 ppg), field-goal percentage defense (.345) and 3-point defense (.220).
• 10 times this season, the Vols have held their opponents to 50 points or less.
• Only three teams have reached the 70-point mark against these Vols.
• Only four opposing players have scored 20 or more points against the Vols this season.
• In 21 games, Tennessee opponents have managed to make only 103 3-pointers—just 4.9 per game.
• Tennessee has trailed at the break only three times this season and is outscoring its opponents 35.5 ppg to 25.0 ppg in first-half action (+10.5 ppg).
 
#5
#5
ABOUT FLORIDA

• Florida (12-9, 5-3 SEC) is coming off a 64-50 loss at No. 5 Kansas State in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge Saturday but has won five of its last six games in SEC play.
• The Gators' three SEC losses—at Auburn and twice against Texas A&M—have come by a combined eight points.
• Wednesday's matchup against Tennessee marks Florida's ninth Quadrant 1 game of the season. The Gators, who are currently ranked No. 50 in the NET rankings, are 1-7 in Quad 1 games so far this season, with the lone win coming at Mississippi State.
• Todd Golden is in his first season as Florida's head coach, arriving in Gainesville after three seasons as the head coach at San Francisco, where he led the Dons to a 57-36 (.613) record and an appearance in the 2022 NCAA Tournament. As a player, Golden starred at Saint Mary's from 2004-2008, leading the Gaels to two NCAA Tournament appearances.
• Once again leading the way for the Gators this season is 2022 second-team All-SEC selection and fifth-year player Colin Castleton, who has team-leading totals in points (14.9 ppg), rebounds (7.6 rpg), blocks (3.2 bpg) and steals (1.0 spg).
• Castleton's 67 total blocks this season, as well as his 3.2 blocks per game, rank third in all of Division I. As a team, Florida blocks 6.0 shots per game, which is also third among all Division I teams.
• Castleton has failed to reach double-figure scoring in only three games this season and is averaging 15.5 ppg in SEC play.
• Florida's defense ranks eighth in the nation in adjusted defensive efficiency, according to KenPom. The Gators' offense ranks 147th.
 
#6
#6
SCOUTING REPORT

• The Vols have held the No. 2 spot in the NCAA's NET ratings since Jan. 3.
• During SEC play, Tennessee leads the league in scoring defense (55.1 ppg), field-goal percentage (.478), 3-point percentage (.356), FT percentage (.777), assists (17.6) and assist/turnover ratio (1.42).
• In its last 24 games against SEC opponents, the Vols are 22-2 with wins over every league opponent except Alabama (no meetings).
• Reigning SEC Player of the Week Zakai Zeigler is averaging a league-best 7.3 assists during SEC play and has dished out 27 assists in UT's last three games.
• In UT's two wins last week, Santiago Vescovi led the team in rebounding with 7.5 per game. He is three 3-point makes shy of fourth place on the program's all-time list.
• Tennessee has two wins over teams with a current top-10 NET rating—No. 8 Kansas and No. 9 Texas. UT is one of only six teams in the country that can claim that.
• During the Barnes era, Tennessee has appeared in the top three of the AP poll 11 times. The Vols made three total top-three appearances in program history before Barnes' hiring.


Thanks YankeeVol for another great pre-game breakdown and game thread. I am mostly a basketvol lurker but I always look forward to your game threads! Go VOLS! Every day is a good day to kick some gator tail!
 
#9
#9
Castleton is one of the few traditional big men in the conference and likely the key to beating Florida. Will be interesting to see how CRB decides to defend him. Small ball with ON at the 5? Will we switch 1-5 on screens like we usually do? Will he throw Uros/Aidoo at him?
 
#11
#11
Castleton is one of the few traditional big men in the conference and likely the key to beating Florida. Will be interesting to see how CRB decides to defend him. Small ball with ON at the 5? Will we switch 1-5 on screens like we usually do? Will he throw Uros/Aidoo at him?

I kind of wonder if he ALSO uses JJJ on him to deny him entry passes and keep him from driving the lane. IF he is really healthy. Wear him out.
 
#16
#16
If Florida is hitting their 3s we could be in a battle. If they’re clanking all night we win by double digits.

I expect the Rocky Top Volunteers to outplay a not great Gators even though they do have a realistic chance of keeping the game close because it’s in Florida so they’ll have the benefit of a thundering crowd if the Gators play consistent great to keep the game close.
 

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