Florida played about as poorly as it can for 35 minutes. And Tennessee didn't.
Florida's worst night came on Tennessee's best. And the result was the most dispiriting loss of the young Mike White era, an 83-69 defeat that could either galvanize or haunt the Gators.
The story of this one was simple: While the Gators and Volunteers each came out of the gate on fire in the first half, Florida ran out of gas and Tennessee hit the afterburners. A Dorian Finney-Smith three cut a Tennessee lead to 22-20 midway through the first half; by half's end, Tennessee led 53-31.