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Tennessee vs. Florida will be 'a battle of wills' for the SEC Tournament championship

IMG_3593by:Grant Ramey•03/16/25•

GrantRamey

NCAA Basketball: Florida at Tennessee
Feb 1, 2025; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers forward Felix Okpara (34) rebounds the ball against the Florida Gators during the second half at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-Imagn Images

NASHVILLE — Sunday’s SEC Tournament championship game between Tennessee and Florida won’t just be a rubber match after the two teams split their regular-season series. It will be, as Florida’s Todd Golden described it, “a battle of wills.”

Florida is coming off a 104-82 win over Alabama in Saturday’s semifinal, setting an SEC Tournament scoring record while scoring 90 or more points for the 10th time this season and for the fourth straight game.

On the other side is Tennessee and it’s No. 3-ranked defense, which held the Gators to 44 points in a 20-point win in Knoxville on February 1, three weeks after Florida won 73-43 in Gainesville.

“It’s going to be interesting because both games were anomalies, for lack of a better term,” Golden said Saturday night. “We played fantastic and won by 30 against them at home. We go there, they beat us way worse than anybody else has been able to all year … we played poorly in the second half. They dictated with their physicality and defense.” 

Tennessee lost 73-43 at Florida, beat Gators 64-44 at home

Tennessee was a perfect 14-0 and ranked No. 1 for a fifth-straight week when the Vols got drubbed in Gainesville. Florida was facing a shorthanded Tennessee team in Knoxville, without Zakai Zeigler and Igor Milicic Jr., when the Gators lost 64-44.

The anomaly included Zeigler and Chaz Lanier leading Tennessee with just 10 points each in the loss at Florida. The Vols shot 21.4% from the floor, going 12-for-56, and 13.8% from the 3-point line, going 4-for-29.

When Florida made the return trip, Walter Clayton led the Gators with just 10 points as his team shot 24.5% from the floor, going 13-for-53, and 14.8% from the 3-point line, going 4-for-27.

“I think (Sunday) will be a battle of wills a little bit,” Golden said. “We’re going to get out in transition, open up the game a little bit. We know Tennessee likes to operate in the half court, be physical defensively. Whoever is able to dictate the terms and the tempo I think has the best chance to win tomorrow.”

‘It’s just a great opportunity for us to get a championship’

Tennessee is ranked No. 348 in adjusted tempo, according to KenPom.com. Florida is ranked No. 62. The Vols want to grind every defensive possession. The Gators want to get out and run and score 100.

The opposing styles have yielded the same results over the last six weeks, though. Tennessee has won 10 of 12 dating back to the home win over Florida. The Gators are 11-1 since losing at Tennessee. 

“(Tennessee is) a team that I would argue is one of the most physical and just tough-minded winning programs in America,” Golden said. “Tennessee, obviously Rick Barnes is an amazing Hall of Fame coach. They got the best of us last time we played. 

“Our guys will be excited. We’ll be ready to go. More than anything, it’s just a great opportunity for us to get a championship.”

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