In what was nothing short of an incredible effort from the starters all the way down to the walk-ons the Gators put together a coordinated attack of sheer will and shotmaking that ultimately led to a 75-49 win over the Tennessee Volunteers who are currently ranked #6 in the country. While offensive spurts from Tre Mann, Tyree Appleby, Ques Glover, and Noah Locke led the way at times it was Florida’s defense that ruled the day only allowing Tennessee to muster 49 points. This was unquestionably Florida’s best effort of the season and the huge win will be a major boost to a team that came off two tough weeks.
Stepping Up
Only 20 minutes before tip-off it was announced that Colin Castleton wasn’t going to be able to play due to an ankle injury he received while playing against Mississippi State. This was looking like it could be a death sentence, but his spot was filled beautifully by Omar Payne who stepped in and contributed 9 points, though it was his 5 blocks that really set the tone. Considering Florida relies so heavily on shot blocking and that was something Castleton was dominant with, Payne’s ability to step in right away and patrol the paint was huge for Florida’s defensive effort.
Locking Things Down
While Florida’s offense was crisp against the Volunteers it was their defense above all that led to the blowout. Active with their hands and quick to move when a ball was passed the Gators were flying around on their own end making nothing easy for the Volunteers. Shooting a miserable 29% from the field there wasn’t much Tennessee could get going against the Gators who deserve massive credit for their defensive effort. Florida’s inconsistency this season has largely been due to their lack of defensive execution so if they can keep up this level of quality they’ll be a new team.
Depth Pieces
Ques Glover, Jason Jitoboh, Niels Lane, and Osayi Osifo have been seldom-used pieces for the Gators throughout this season but down the bodies they were the Gators had to go deep in their bench and each of these depth pieces were able to contribute positively which resulted in Florida’s decisive victory. Glover was the best of the four, having possibly his best game ever as a Gator with 10 points, 3 steals, and an assist. His 3 steals resulted in 3 transition opportunities for the Gators which helped fuel their momentum and each one was hugely valuable. Depth hasn’t been a strength for this team up until this point so for these players to step up now is hugely encouraging.
Final Thoughts
This was a monster win for a Florida team that had the cards stacked against it. Missing three starters from their opening night roster against a tremendous Tennessee team it was looking like it could be a slaughter and ultimately it was–but not in the way everyone would have expected. This win should show the Gators they can compete with just about anyone in the country and hopefully fuels them taking control of their SEC season.