Tennessee makes College Gameday crew look foolish after dominant win over Florida
The Tennessee Volunteers emphatically reminded the nation on Saturday why they've been one of the highest ranked teams in the country this season. With starters Zakai Zeigler (knee) and Igor Milicic, Jr. (illness) out, it appeared the task was going to be a very difficult one against the #5 Florida Gators. Turns out, it wasn't […]
The Tennessee Volunteers emphatically reminded the nation on Saturday why they've been one of the highest ranked teams in the country this season. With starters Zakai Zeigler (knee) and Igor Milicic, Jr. (illness) out, it appeared the task was going to be a very difficult one against the #5 Florida Gators.
Turns out, it wasn't that difficult at all. Tennessee dominated Florida on the defensive end, holding the Gators to 13-53 (24.5%) shooting and 4-27 (14.8%) from three in undoubtedly their best defensive performance of the season.
That result flew right in the face of the predictions of ESPN's College Gameday crew. From Durham, North Carolina, where Duke is taking on North Carolina this evening, Seth Greenberg, Andraya Carter, Jay Williams, and Jay Bilas picked today's slate of games. All went with Florida. And in the mind of Greenberg, it wasn't even up for debate.
"It's going to be closer than the last time they played, but with those two out, there's no – I have Florida," Carter – who played for the Lady Vols from 2012-2016 – said, stopping herself of saying perhaps "there's no chance".
Greenberg had no such limitations. "No chance. Florida," he responded with a hand gesture.
Williams just stated "Florida" three times without explaining why.
Bilas took it a step further with a pick of the Gators.
"Florida is one of the best offensive rebounding teams in the country," Bilas said. "Just under 17 points a game on the offensive glass. Florida wins this one."
It's perhaps understandable why Bilas when the offensive rebounding route, as the Gators are indeed strong on the glass. Well, normally, at least. Against Tennessee on January 7, the Gators outrebounded UT 56-37 and held a 19-12 edge on the offensive glass.
And then…. Saturday happened. And oh, how things didn't go as the crew in Durham planned. Tennessee held serve in the paint, totaling a 40-37 rebounding and 12-10 offensive glass edge. But more than the negligible rebounding difference, Tennessee held strong and defended near the basket well, with strong defense by Felix Okpara and Cade Phillips denying the Gators near the basket time and again.
Offensively, Tennessee did enough, shooting 40% from the field. The three point field goal percentage wasn't good again (just 27.3% on 6-22 shooting), but a few timely buckets from beyond the arc during long stretches of Florida offensive futility during the second half helped Tennessee pull away to a convincing victory.
Without two of their best players, Tennessee showed what its calling card is for playing championship-level basketball: defense.
Something a group of experts perhaps should have considered a bit more on Saturday morning.
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