Playing against another one of the SEC’s top teams on the road without their best player and a key reserve — or, well, mostly, in the latter case — the Florida Gators found themselves in an unusual position against Tennessee for much of their Wednesday night meeting: The lead.
But despite controlling the game in the first half after responding to a hot start by the Volunteers and holding a double-digit lead early in the second half, a depleted Florida team could not get the win it fought valiantly for, falling 78-71 in Knoxville.
Florida’s early success had a lot to do with hot shooting and defensive pressure.