Florida vs. Tennessee: Preview, Prediction, Odds, Where to Watch and More

Everything you need to know before the Florida Gators face off against the No. 6 Tennessee Volunteers on the road.

Photo: Florida head coach Todd Golden; Credit: Zach Goodall

The Florida Gators will take on the Tennessee Volunteers in Knoxville, Tenn., on Tuesday at 5 p.m. ET following a time change due to winter weather conditions currently impacting the region.

It's a matchup of a perennial league contender under acclaimed head coach Rick Barnes and a program seemingly on the cusp of emerging into a potential threat in the SEC throughout the 2023-24 campaign under Todd Golden. 

You can find everything you need to know before tip-off below, including an in-depth rundown of the matchup, game prediction and more.

Florida Gators (11-5, 1-2 SEC) vs. No. 6 Tennessee Volunteers (12-4, 2-1 SEC)

Where: Thompson-Boling Arena, Knoxville, Tenn.

When: Tuesday, Jan. 16 at 5 p.m. ET

Watch: ESPN2 | fuboTV (start your free trial)

Radio: Gator Sports Network from LEARFIELD | FloridaGators.com | The Varsity Network App | SiriusXM 383 or 190 & SXM App

Odds: The Gators are 9.5-point underdogs to the Volunteers on Tuesday, according to SI Sportsbook. The over/under for the contest is set at 159.5 points.

Series history: Florida tails Tennessee 59-80 in the all-time series. In their most recent meeting on Feb. 1, 2023, the Gators upset the No. 2 Volunteers in Gainesville, 67-54.

Important stories

• Three Takeaways From Gators' 90-68 Drubbing of Razorbacks
• Florida Bounces Back With Convincing Win Over Arkansas, 90-68
• Column: Gators' Poor Defensive Effort Catalyzes Ugly Road Loss to Rebels
• Three Takeaways from Florida Hoops' Narrow Loss to Kentucky
• Florida Fails to Topple No. 6 Kentucky in SEC Opener, 87-85
• Column: Florida Guard Zyon Pullin Hitting Stride at the Perfect Time
• Florida Steamrolls Quinnipiac in Non-Conference Finale, 97-72
• Florida Gators Trounce Grambling State Tigers, 96-57
• Golden: Guard Zyon Pullin Will' Raise the Level' of Gators Squad
• Denzel Aberdeen a 'Great Example' for Gators' Program Under Todd Golden
• Exclusive: Golden's Gators Striving for 'Next Step' With Reconstructed Roster

The rundown

The Volunteers have long been synonymous with stout defensive efforts, performing as one of college basketball's most effective units throughout Rick Barnes' reign in Knoxville.

That hasn't changed.

Per usual, Tennessee is an elite on-ball defending unit. The Volunteers don't turn teams over at a high clip, but they operate a fundamentally sound scheme that has proven fruitful in defending two-point field goal attempts, a facet in which opposing units struggle.

Barnes' unit allowed just 42.6% of two-point field goals to find the bottom of the net against Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Georgia in their three league games in January.

However, the desire to protect the interior leaves the Vols susceptible to three-point field goals, allowing opponents to connect on 38.8% of their attempts from downtown during conference play — the worst mark in the SEC.

As a result, it will be critical for the Gators to find success beyond the arc — and at the charity stripe — to pull off the improbable upset over a team the caliber of the Volunteers on the road.

Additionally, what makes Tennessee legitimately dangerous in 2023-24 is its ability to complement the defensive fortitude with a sustainable offense. It's been the best offense in the conference during the early SEC slate and sits at No. 20 in adjusted offensive efficiency on the season, per Kenpom.

Led by Northern Colorado transfer guard Dalton Knecht, tallying 17.2 points, 4.2 boards and 1.7 assists per game, the Volunteers' attack has averaged nearly 78.7 points per outing. 

Knecht, an elite shot creator with a knack for creating separation off the dribble en route to the rim or in the midrange, was a prized addition to the Vols roster this offseason as he brought the extra dimension of scoring the unit lacked in previous years.

He was considered a vital piece to the puzzle in elevating UT to a point where it could compete in March for a national title while simultaneously improving his defensive prowess for his eventual move to the professional market.

The returns thus far have considerably helped boost stock and individual and team-wide scale. His 36-point outing against Georgia on Saturday illustrates his worth.

Junior guard Zakai Zeigler has complemented Knecht's efforts as the Vols' top facilitator. Accounting for 5.1 assists per game, Zeigler's catalyzed their standing as the nation's 23rd-ranked unit in assists per game with 17.2, including getting other guys like Jonas Aidoo, Josiah-Jordan James, Jordan Ganey, Santiago Vescovi and others involved in the attack as well.

As a result, Tennessee poses a well-distributed challenge for Florida to combat on the road.

Brandon's Prediction (8-3): Tennessee 87, Florida 81

I think Florida matches up well to stress the Tennessee defense and produce more points than it usually does, similarly to how it did in Gainesville a season ago en route to a 67-54 upset win over the No. 2 Vols.

If that comes to fruition, the effort will include high-volume contributions from Zyon Pullin, Walter Clayton Jr. and one of Will Richard or Riley Kugel in a backcourt-heavy approach. That puts Florida in the mix to surge toward an upset late.

However, it hasn't been pretty in the limited sample size of the Gators playing on the road.

They're 0-2 in true away games this season, with a propensity to turn the ball over and allow opposing crowds to dictate the contest. 

And despite their newfound momentum after a complete, 40-minute performance against Arkansas, those donning Tennessee orange and singing Rocky Top will prove to be the difference in this contest for Knecht, Zeigler and Co. to reign victorious.

Florida keeps it close for the first 30 minutes but fails to produce down the stretch in the fashion needed to topple the nation's sixth-ranked squad in enemy territory. 

The Volunteers earn an 87-81 triumph to advance to 12-4 (3-1 SEC) while the Gators drop to 11-6 (1-3 SEC). 

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