The Halftime Report: Tennessee vs. Florida

The Florida Gators have given Tennessee a tough time in the first half, though the Volunteers survived an early scare.

While Tennessee is the No. 2 team in America, Florida was unphased. The Gators came out firing and went on a 15-0 run in the first few minutes, to the delight of their fans.

However, the Volunteers survived the run and came roaring back. Forward Olivier Nkamhoua continued his excellent play, scoring eight straight points to jumpstart the offense.

Guard Zakai Zeigler struggled early and was even pulled from the game, but quickly re-entered and began making plays on both sides of the ball. When he is at his best, few guards in the country can stay in front of him.

If anything, this game has been relatively positive for Tennessee. You aren't going to blow everyone out, especially a team like the Gators, who remain competitive with every SEC team.

Battling back is a positive note for the Volunteers. Granted, there's a long way to go before the game is over, but the first few minutes couldn't have gone worse, and the game is still in Tennessee's control.

Head coach Rick Barnes kept a level head and put his players in winning positions, a recurring theme that keeps them in games like this.

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