KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — As shaky as the Vols have been at times this season, Rick Barnes' team has only lost back-to-back games one time. They'll be hoping to avoid doing that for the second time on Saturday when they take on Florida.
The Gators enter Saturday's game with an overall record of 13-7, but they have a 9-6 record in SEC play. Florida and Tennessee have already played once this year, in a game that saw the Gators come out on top in blowout fashion, 75-49. Most would certainly expect a better effort from the Vols on Saturday, as it's senior day. John Fulkerson and Yves Pons are said to be participating, although both of them and E.J. Anosike could potentially return for an extra year next season.
Florida on Offense:
The Gators score 75.6 points per game this season. Their leading scorer is Tre Mann, a talented guard who is really gifted offensively. Averaging 15 points per game along with 68 assists on the season, much of what the Gators want to do starts with Mann. One drawback of Mann's game is that he can be loose with the ball. He has turned the ball over 55 times this year.
Down low, Florida has one of the best big men in the conference in Colin Castleton. The 6'11" transfer from Michigan is a real threat on the offensive end. He averages 12.8 points per game, and with no Keyonte Johnson in the lineup, Castleton will likely be the best post player on the court Sunday afternoon. He's shooting over 76% from the free throw line, so Tennessee needs to defend him without fouling. The Vols' best option might be to front the post, to try and prevent entry passes from ever getting to him.
Florida's guards play with confidence and they have the quickness to create issues for defenses. While it's not always a work of art, the Gators' offense can be dangerous. However, Florida has a tendency to turn the ball over quite a bit. If this is the case on Sunday, the Vols could potentially take advantage of Florida's mistakes. If Florida is smart with the ball though, their offense has the capability of being very good.
Florida on Defense:
Florida is giving up 70 points per game this year. Teams don't shoot the three ball particularly well against the Gators, which isn't great news for a Tennessee team who has gone cold from beyond the arc at times. The Gators have guys like Castleton and Tyree Appleby who can cause issues for teams looking to score. They aren't always the most disciplined team though, so well-timed shot fakes or off-ball cuts toward the rim could open things up for the Volunteers.
Tennessee, having not played since last weekend, should be really fresh at the start of the game. However, whenever there's a long break there's always the chance that a team comes out rusty. The Vols haven't been very consistent over the past month or so, it's hard to know exactly what to expect from the them on Sunday. As tournament time draws near, Sunday's game presents Tennessee with a really nice shot to pick up another quality win that could help improve their seeding.
The Vols and Gators will play on Sunday at noon on ESPNU.
