Knoxville, Tenn. – Finding its way back into the win column became a lot tougher for Tennessee just hours before tip-off against the Florida Gators.
The Vols haven’t been at full strength all season and that became an ever greater obstacle on Saturday when point guard Zakai Zeigler was ruled out with a knee injury and Igor Milicic Jr. was ruled out with flu-like symptoms. Tennessee said both are day-to-day.
Jordan Gainey was given the nod to start at point guard for the Vols. This marked his first career start at Tennessee.
My three takeaways following the 64-44 win over the Gators:
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Defense is Thriving
The Vols’ defense came out with plenty of energy in its regular-season rematch with the Florida Gators.
In the first half alone, Tennessee forced eight turnovers. Though those defensive efforts rarely translated on offense as the Vols only captured two points.
However, the Vols’ defense impact around the rim made for the greatest difference.
Early in the game, Phillips came up with a massive block on Alex Condon’s layup and the ball might’ve ended up in the Tennessee River.
Tennessee ended the first 20 minutes with four blocks and five steals. The Vols also outrebounded Florida on the defensive end with 12 rebounds to the Gators’ four offensive rebounds.
Later, Bishop Boswell forced a turnover on a bad pass steal. With about six minutes left in the game, Lanier deflects a bad pass out of bounds but on the inbounds Florida capitalized with a baseline jumper.
Mashack in the second half, deflected the ball out of Walter Clayton Jr.’s hands and Gainey recovered. Tennessee was able to capitalize on that effort with a floater from Felix Okpara. That score was Tennessee’s eighth straight bucket and sixth straight to open the second half.
Later, Bishop Boswell showed great hustle when he dove for a loose ball and tipped it back in bounds and he fell to the ground. Gainey was in the right spot to recover it, but the Vols were unable to capitalize on offense.
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Defense Sparked Tennessee’s Offense
Tennessee’s offensive struggles have been the main storyline inside SEC play and how its slow start can rarely be overcome.
That theme appeared to be taking form against the Gators on Saturday, until the final two minutes of the game.
A stringent defensive effort may have been the play that awoke the Vols’ offense and it might’ve come on this one possession.
Following a Florida defensive rebound, Rueben Chinyelu looked to finish the sequence with a massive dunk. Darlinstone Dubar was not about to let that happen and he came up with a massive block.
However, Alijah Martin grabbed the offensive rebound and tried to feed it to Sam Alexis for the tip-in. Just like earlier in the game, Phillips put up a saving block and Tennessee was finally able to grab the board.
Jahmai Mashack grabbed the loose ball, kicked it to Gainey who fed it to Chaz Lanier in transition and he sank the three-pointer from the wing to give Tennessee the lead back 21-19 Vols.
Less than a minute later, the Vols found their bread and butter; the lob.
Phillips threw down the hammer on a lob from Gainey to give the Vols a 23-21 lead in the final minute of the opening half. That play highlighted great vision by Gainey who dumped it off to Phillips with a Gator in the lane.
Tennessee opened the second half connected on its first four attempts to push the Vols ahead 32-24.
Mashack extended the streak to five on a driving layup. Tennessee started the first half with 10 points in about four and a half minutes.
As the shot clock was seconds from expiring, Gainey stepped back for a baseline triple and sank it, giving Tennessee its largest lead of the game at 13.
The initial play of the game may have been topped by the unreal effort of Mashack. He deflects a bad pass and all but tightropes the sideline to save a loose ball and two passes later it ends with a slam dunk by Phillips! That fastbreak dunk gave Tennessee a 50-33 lead with 7:38 left.
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Chaz Lanier is having fun
Late into the second half, Chaz Lanier came alive. His shots have been close all game but weren’t consistently falling in his favor.
He had a couple of big moments in the first half, like on catch and shoot three from the wing near Florida’s bench which gave Tennessee its first lead, 14-13.
However, he finished the first 20 4-11 on total shooting.
That flipped in the second half.
Lanier showed his speed on back-to-back catch-and-shoot threes from the wing to give Tennessee an 18-point lead with about six minutes left in the game.
His ability to be physical and not shy away from contact was highlighted on a baseline dunk that all but shut the door on the Gators.
He ended the second half with 13 points while shooting 4-8 from the field and 3-4 from the three-point line.
His 19 total points were his third-best scoring effort inside SEC play.
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