The Florida Gators basketball team (11-3, 3-0 SEC) came back to defeat the Tennessee Volunteers (8-6, 1-2 SEC) 83-70 on Saturday to remain undefeated in SEC play and in the new Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center.
The Gators trailed a majority of the first half, as Tennessee set the pace of the game from the tip. Tennessee’s quickness was too much for Florida to handle in the first 15 minutes, leading to poor offensive possessions and nine first half turnovers.
Florida went on a 7-2 run to close out the half trailing by just one point in a 33-32 game. The Gators finally found a way to keep up with the pace in the second half and committed just two turnovers to finish the game, while forcing 19 Tennessee turnovers in the game. The Gators came away with a 25-15 advantage in points off turnovers.
KeVaughn Allen led the Gators with 23 points and was 4-for-6 from beyond the arc. He got hot at the right time, as all four of his three’s came in the final 7:37 of the game to give Florida the momentum that would eventually win the game. He scored nine points in a row from long-range in a three-minute stretch.
Justin Leon (19) and Canyon Barry (15) were also in double digits for the Gators. Leon led the team with six rebounds and Kasey Hill led Florida with seven assists on the night.
Coming Up Next:
The Gators head to Tuscaloosa, Ala. to take on the Alabama Crimson Tide on Tuesday, January, 10 at 9 p.m. (ET). The game will be aired on ESPNU.
Justin Leon dunks in the Florida Gators basketball win over Vermont/GatorCountry photo by David Bowie