Tennessee @ Florida preview

Tennessee at Florida

Last Meeting ( Jan 16, 2024 ) Florida 66, Tennessee 85

Top-ranked Tennessee has its sights set on securing the best start in program history when it visits No. 8 Florida on Tuesday night in Southeastern Conference play at Gainesville, Fla.

The Volunteers (14-0, 1-0) have matched the top start that was put together by the 1922-23 squad. It certainly will be a big accomplishment if they surpass the mark against the Gators.

Florida (13-1, 0-1) had been chasing its own best start mark but fell four games short of matching the 2005-06 Gators, who started 17-0 on the way to winning the national title. The season-opening run came crashing down Saturday when Florida lost 106-100 at Kentucky.

The Gators' second-best start isn't bad, of course, but allowing 106 points erased any chance of feeling good about the accomplishment.

"It's tough when you put up a hundred and allow the other team to put up a hundred-and-whatever," Florida guard Walter Clayton Jr. said. "When you do that, you're doing something wrong defensively. The coaches gave us a game plan, and we didn't execute it as players."

Clayton made six 3-pointers and matched his career best of 33 points against the Wildcats. He is averaging a team-best 18.3 points per game and also has a team-leading 43 3-pointers.

Tennessee had no issues in remaining unbeaten as it routed visiting Arkansas 76-52 on Saturday.

The Volunteers received a season-high 29 points from Chaz Lanier and a huge outing from Igor Milicic Jr., who had 13 points and a career-high 18 rebounds.

Both players are transfers. Lanier played four seasons at North Florida before transferring to Tennessee, and he leads the squad in scoring (20.3 points per game) and 3-pointers (56). Milicic, averaging 10.9 points and a team-leading 8.9 rebounds, played one season at Virginia and two seasons at Charlotte.

"We have such a high expectation for both of those guys because they're older, they've been around, and they're really, really, really terrific basketball players," Volunteers coach Rick Barnes said. "But you're always pushing to get more and more. And what I'm thankful for is they're able to take that. They're able to take it."

Lanier has been electric with three straight 20-point outings, including seven for the season.

"Incredible human being that wants to be coached," Barnes said. "And you guys are here, I'm on him and going to stay on him. But he shows nothing but great respect, great humility. And the fact that when you're like that, I think your teammates, they want to see you do well, and there's not one selfish thing about him.

"And matter of fact, they would tell you if you're not getting by people it's because you're turning down shots. They want him to shoot it. And he's got a quick trigger."

The victory over Arkansas was Tennessee's eighth of the season by more than 20 points.

The Gators have won seven games by more than 20 but were exposed on the defensive end by Kentucky.

"Just let them get whatever they wanted. We didn't take anything away from them," Florida guard Alijah Martin said. "We let them be comfortable. We let them do what they do. We let their shooters shoot. I think we beat ourselves. We're a much better defensive team, and we didn't display it."

Martin scored 26 points and made five 3-pointers and is playing well in his first season with the Gators after playing four at Florida Atlantic. He is second on the squad in scoring (15.9 ppg) and treys (33).

Tennessee won last season's lone meeting 85-66 in Knoxville behind 39 points from now-departed Dalton Knecht. The Volunteers have won eight of the past 10 meetings.

--Field Level Media